Finance Canada has excluded fish and seafood products from a list of items subjected to counter-tariffs, following the government’s initial response to U.S. retaliatory measures. The adjustment was announced late Wednesday night, citing industry feedback as the reason for the change. The government stated that it is continuously evaluating the effectiveness of these measures, particularly focusing on industries affected by U.S. tariffs.
This modification occurred after the federal government imposed counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods in retaliation to new 50 per cent tariffs imposed by the U.S. over the weekend when trade negotiations collapsed. The initial list primarily targeted seafood products, which were subject to a 25 per cent tax rate.
The government emphasized its commitment to maintaining a proportional response to U.S. products, matching dollar-for-dollar and rate-for-rate. Concerns were raised within the fisheries sector earlier in the week regarding the potential impact of these retaliatory actions on their businesses. Industry representatives expressed feeling caught off guard by the inclusion of seafood on the tariff list.