Why Saint John, N.B. would feel massive impact from U.S. tariffs
Global News
Political leaders and businesses in Saint John, N.B. are bracing for the impact of looming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
Political leaders and businesses in Saint John, N.B. are bracing for the impact of looming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, saying the city is the most vulnerable in the country.
“Tariffs would be inflationary on both sides of the border and this could create a squeeze at the household level, which would be pretty challenging to navigate,” said Fraser Walls, board chair of the Saint John Chamber of Commerce.
On Feb. 1, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods. A day before the tariffs were to go into effect, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Trump had a phone call, after which Trump paused the tariffs for 30 days.
According to new research by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Saint John would be hit the hardest by U.S. tariffs.
Using Statistics Canada trade data, the organization came up with a “U.S. Tariff Exposure Index” to look at the potential impact of threatened American tariffs on 41 Canadian cities.
The researchers said Saint John is the most vulnerable. The area is home to the Irving Oil refinery, the largest crude oil refinery in Canada. The refinery can process over 320,000 barrels daily, with more than 80 per cent of that oil exported south of the border.
In a statement last week, the refinery said it has had a “proud and strong relationship with the United States” since 1972.
“This tariff will result in price increases for our U.S. customers and have impacts on energy security and the broader economy,” the statement read.
The cuts come as Global Affairs Canada sets out its plans to meet budget belt tightening requirements laid out by Prime Minister Mark Carney last year.
An aviation expert says Canada is losing more air traffic controllers to retirement than it is hiring, despite efforts to ramp up recruitment.
Nova Scotia Power is seeking a 3.8 per cent power rate bump retroactive to Jan. 1, and a 4.1 per cent hike that would come into effect Jan. 1, 2027.
It’s the fourth time in less than a month that a large vehicle has collided with an overpass in Saskatchewan. Three of those incidents have been reported in Saskatoon.
As part of its upcoming budget, the province is planning to ban people from reselling tickets to sports matches and concerts for more than their face value.
The company, White Wilderness Heliskiing, issued a statement on Tuesday saying the avalanche happened near Mt Knauss on the ski run Iridium Shoulder.
Three of the organization's service vehicles were badly damaged in a vandalism incident that happened sometime between midnight Friday and Saturday morning.
As the winter weather approaches, Saskatchewan residents react to the incoming inclement weather. Many are done with the winter, but a handful of businesses will benefit.
Prairie Harm Reduction said its investigation into the shortfall has just begun, but added it does not believe there is evidence of fraud, theft or personal misuse of funds.
A new poll finds there is growing support for a proposal to lower an Old Age Security (OAS) threshold for some Canadians in order to help reduce the federal government's deficit.
Canadian and American government officials discussed a proposed revival of the canceled Keystone XL oil pipeline during a meeting in Houston, Tx. this week.
This will apply to all workers in federally regulated industries such as air transportation, banking, most federal Crown corporations, ports and telecommunication, among others.
International immigration to Canada is slowing but newcomers still helped six Atlantic cities grow more than the national average last year.