
Trucking groups on both sides of the border have opposed tariffs slapped against Canadian exports to the U.S. over the weekend.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced widely anticipated tariffs of 25% against Canadian exports (10% on oil and gas), the same for Mexico, and 10% tariffs against Chinese goods. Canada and Mexico responded in kind with tariffs of their own.

He claimed the goal was to stem the tide of fentanyl and illegal immigration.
“This has gotten out of hand,” Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) president Stephen Laskowski said in a press release. “The reality is the tariffs are unreasonable are out of proportion to the problem. The tariffs are like taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”
He urged regulators in the U.S. and Canada to come together to find common solutions to border issues. Laskowski also urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to resume parliament.
“Parliament is where the business of government functions and so it’s imperative it is restarted as we face this crisis,” he said. “As a nation, we must support Team Canada to withstand these unfair tariffs, while also sending a strong message to the Americans that we are ready at the highest levels to work together.”
Couldn’t come at a worse time
CTA chairman Greg Arndt said the tariffs couldn’t come at a worse time.
“The trucking industry is experiencing cost inflation at an unsustainable rate, while revenue quality continues to decline. Carriers are shrinking fleets and workforces to survive, but customer expectations and operational demands continue to rise,” Arndt said. “An already oversupplied market cannot afford further disruptions, and tariff-related policy changes will have devastating effects on our industry.”
Private Motor Truck Council of Canada leader Mike Millian echoed those concerns.
“The unjustified tariffs being imposed on Canada by U.S. President Trump will have severe consequences on both the Canadian and U.S. economies and will hurt both populations as it will send consumer prices upwards, costing citizens on both sides of the border, making lives more expensive,” he said in a statement.
“For Canada, we have roughly $700 billion annually in cross-border trade, with half of that moved by truck. Twenty per cent of our GDP is accounted for in trade, and 10% of our total employment is dependent on U.S. trade. This will cost jobs to Canadians, and will see a slowdown in cross border trade, affecting nearly 120,000 Canadian drivers and their companies who cross the U.S. border regularly.”
Millian noted less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal migrant crossings into the U.S. come from Canada.
“We hope common sense will prevail and these tariffs will be short-lived,” he said. “In the interim, Canada must act quickly remove internal trade barriers between provincial and territorial trade barriers to make us more competitive internally and help to increase the ability of companies to be better positioned to increase sales and help replace some of the lost revenue from U.S. trade.”
Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, had this to say: “President Trump’s profoundly disturbing decision to impose tariffs will have immediate and direct consequences on Canadian and American livelihoods. Tariffs will drastically increase the cost of everything for everyone: every day these tariffs are in place hurts families, communities, and businesses.
“Canada has been a safe, secure and reliable trading partner to the U.S. for decades. Whether it’s our crude oil that is practically perfect for the North American autos we build together, the potash that supports the agriculture that feeds America, or the critical minerals and other inputs that go into everyday essentials like washing machines and refrigerators, America needs Canada. Our supply chains are so deeply integrated that you can’t unwind them overnight. They are integrated not simply because we get along as neighbors, but because it makes sense financially for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.”
ATA opposes tariffs
The tariffs were also criticized by organizations south of the border, including the American Trucking Associations. President and CEO Chris Spear said they could derail a long-awaited economic recovery for the trucking industry.
“As the trucking industry recovers from a years-long freight recession marked by low freight volumes, depressed rates, and rising operational costs, we have concern that tariffs could decrease freight volumes and increase costs for motor carriers at a time when the industry is just beginning to recover,” said Spears.
“A 25% tariff levied on Mexico could see the price of a new tractor increase by as much as US$35,000. That is cost-prohibitive for many small carriers, and for larger fleets, it would add tens of millions of dollars in annual operating costs. Trucks move 85% of goods that cross our southern border and 67% of goods that cross our northern border, supporting hundreds of thousands of trucking jobs in the U.S.”
Spears also said the tariffs fly in the face of the Trump-negotiated USMCA trade agreement.
“The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement was a major achievement of President Trump’s first administration. The American Trucking Associations worked hand in glove with all three countries to reach this historic deal, and we look forward to doing so again during the USMCA review,” said Spears.
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