{"id":56830,"date":"2025-02-28T22:34:31","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T22:34:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2025\/02\/28\/how-canadian-companies-are-preparing-for-trumps-tariffs\/"},"modified":"2025-02-28T22:34:31","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T22:34:31","slug":"how-canadian-companies-are-preparing-for-trumps-tariffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2025\/02\/28\/how-canadian-companies-are-preparing-for-trumps-tariffs\/","title":{"rendered":"How Canadian companies are preparing for Trump&#8217;s tariffs"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header article-header--story\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\" data-aqa=\"nav-breadcrumb\">\n<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">News<\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Economy<\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Retail &amp; Marketing<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"article-header__detail\">\n<div class=\"article-header__detail__texts\">\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\">With Tuesday&#8217;s deadline approaching, exporters are scrambling to get paperwork in order while exploring longer term workarounds<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<p><span class=\"published-date__since\">Published Feb 28, 2025<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"updated-date__since\">Last updated 27\u00a0minutes ago<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"published-date__word-count\">6 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta__bottom\">\n<div class=\"bookmark-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover\" data-aqa=\"popover\" data-click-to-appear=\"True\" data-container=\"\" data-container-offset=\"\" data-no-style=\"\" data-popover-component=\"\" data-position=\"top\" data-sticky=\"\" data-tail-offset=\"200\" data-tail-position=\"right\"><button class=\"popover__trigger bookmark-button\"><span class=\"save-article-button save-article-button--default\" title=\"Save article\" data-article-id=\"ce0c4a3b-181c-4282-8c96-5cbed66cf780\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<div aria-describedby=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\" class=\"popover__content\" hidden=\"\" role=\"dialog\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__text\" id=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\">\n<div class=\"bookmark__popover__content\">\n<p>You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"popover__content__close\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" title=\"Close\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\" class=\"icon--close\" height=\"12\" version=\"1.1\" width=\"12\"><polygon points=\"12 0.95 11.05 0 6 5.05 0.95 0 0 0.95 5.05 6 0 11.05 0.95 12 6 6.95 11.05 12 12 11.05 6.95 6\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\" data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=onsgkv2JoKxDpZurNG6h8g,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=N2Xu8k5bJsVdQrabDoZoaA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=FyodNM1b914Cr4Th0WA1Sw,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=80do6rOWfsBtXzs0EqsKrQ 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=vVTlECXVmVLjuI_4c9zzdg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=vMMrgav6QDgIjtqpbIFYfA 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=qmWt6KpoPSGrA5r0u6DqYA,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=Se7tMZRT5cKR0TpBYvWNug 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;h=216&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=YBPb6K2-azxBY8hUNm7Gpg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0228border.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;h=432&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=ZETpOEC4yyq9vqUSEQlIeg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Commercial trucks and passenger vehicles drive across the Ambassador Bridge on the Canada-United States border in Windsor, Ont.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Cole Burston\/Bloomberg files<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>For the past month, customs broker Steve Bozicevic has been receiving constant inquiries from Canadian companies asking about harmonized tariff schedule (HTS) codes, ten-digit figures that identify goods crossing into the United States and determine duties on imports.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wake up every morning and get about ten emails asking which HTS code to use. I used to never get these,\u201d the chief executive of Toronto-based A&amp;A Customs Brokers said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_2\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment619455830101325313812449372143616\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[6,6],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"6x6\" data-ad-loc=\"2\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[6,6],[320,50],[300,50],[300,250],[300,600]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-2\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:600px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-block article-block-bg article-content__sign-in-group hidden\" 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New York Times Crossword.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro-body__anonymous\">\n<p>REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account.<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month.<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"intro-body__registration_only hidden\">\n<p>THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n<p class=\"identity-intro__description\">Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"list-unstyled list-checkmark\">\n<li>Access articles from across Canada with one account<\/li>\n<li>Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments<\/li>\n<li>Enjoy additional articles per month<\/li>\n<li>Get email updates from your favourite authors<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"identity-screen m-x-0 p-x-0 col-xs-12 col-md-6 flex-justify-center flex-align-center\" aria-live=\"assertive\">\n<section class=\"sail\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-sailthru-personalization-engine=\"\" data-sailthru-personalization-engine-component=\"\"\/>\n<div class=\"m-x-0 p-x-0 col-xs-12 col-sm-6 col-md-12 flex-align-justify-center\" data-auth-component=\"\" id=\"auth-screen-form\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form--active w-full flex-align-justify-center\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form identity-screen__content w-full\">\n<h2 class=\"blocker-title\">Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><span class=\"identity-divider__text\">or<\/span><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"identity-footer identity-screen__content m-x-0 p-x-0 col-sm-6 col-md-12\"\/><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">For decades, most\u00a0Canadian businesses have enjoyed duty-free shipping into the U.S. due to North America\u2019s free-trade agreements. But with U.S. tariffs set to come into effect on Tuesday, companies have been working around-the-clock with consultants and customs brokers to figure out everything from how to classify goods and minimize duties to who should pay export levies and how to settle them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen the truck arrives on March 4, the U.S. won\u2019t let it cross unless it knows who\u2019s going to be paying duties and taxes,\u201d Bozicevic said. \u201cAnd right now, you have all of these shippers \u2014 they don\u2019t have accounts with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP). They don\u2019t know how to settle. Everyone\u2019s in crisis mode.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\">Canadian businesses from coast to coast will wake up to a new reality on Tuesday if the U.S. moves ahead with Donald Trump\u2019s plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods and 10 per cent on energy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere is no good-based sector that is insulated from the threat of tariffs,\u201d said Wendy Wagner, partner at Gowling WLG who leads the law firm\u2019s international trade and customs practice.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_3\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment7929267784942246760208561462050816\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 3<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-3\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[7,7],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"7x7\" data-ad-loc=\"3\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[7,7],[300,250],[320,50],[300,50]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-3\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>There is no good-based sector that is insulated from the threat of tariffs<\/p>\n<p>Wendy Wagner<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>\u201cThings like HTS codes weren\u2019t as important before. Now, every little detail matters,\u201d added Tyler Gompf, co-founder and partner of Manitoba-based Global Drain Technologies, which supplies specialty drain products for primarily U.S.-based clients. In recent weeks, the business owner opened an account with the U.S. customs agency and designated his company as the importer who will pay duties \u201cso that payment happens immediately on March 4 when the product ships across the border,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>Bozicevic said that a business that sells rubber floor mats used to declare its goods as articles made of rubber, but if tariffs come into effect, that company may identify it as a rubber floor mat, or a finished product ready for consumption.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven though it kind of means the same thing, it may have a different duty rate,\u201d Bozicevic said.<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. tariffs due to come into effect Tuesday may only be the start. Trump has also said he will also impose global tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminum imports on March 12 and reciprocal tariffs on all countries with which it has a\u00a0trade imbalance.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"js-widget-content article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--content-slot25 article-content__widget-group--newsletter-slot\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-widget__new-story-page fp-headlinenews background--primary-light-gradient\" aria-labelledby=\"FinancialPostTopStories9710164813605463039093963596234752\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-aqa=\"widget-newsletter\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component=\"\" data-target-list=\"FP_HeadlineNews\" data-widget=\"newsletter\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-new-story-page-template\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__header__new-story-page\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__banner__new-story-page\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Top Stories\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/18.0.4\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-fp-topStories.svg\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Top Stories<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__body__new-story-page\">\n<div class=\"js-replace-main__new-story-page\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer__new-story-page text-size--tiny\">By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"js-submit-success\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitSuccessFP_HeadlineNews\">\n<p>Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page js-submit-error\" style=\"margin-top: 8px\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitErrorFP_HeadlineNews\">We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_4\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment5257486172030739486238740165165056\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 4<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-4\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"4\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-4\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Canada, meanwhile, has indicated it will meet U.S. levies with retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs of its own on $155 billion of U.S. imports, which Ottawa said it will apply in two phases. The first package would target food items, appliances and apparel, alongside pulp and paper. The second would come into effect three weeks later and include vehicles, aerospace products, steel and aluminum, fruit and meat products.<\/p>\n<p>If those levies come into effect, it will increase costs for companies on both sides of the border, Wagner said.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>Things like HTS codes weren\u2019t as important before. Now, every little detail matters<\/p>\n<p>Tyler Gompf<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Alongside the scramble to manage logistical changes on day one, the threat of a tariff war is also forcing businesses to explore new strategies and workarounds.<\/p>\n<p>Among the contingency plans? \u201cPermanent and temporary solutions around how to have a physical presence in the U.S.,\u201d said Mackenzie West, the director of market development at customs broker GHY International.<\/p>\n<p>West said a lot more companies are exploring the option of opening up in the U.S. to manage or eliminate cross border flows.<\/p>\n<p>Toronto-headquartered Kala Therapy, which makes and sells medical-grade red-light therapy products from face masks to skincare wands, has shifted more inventory to the U.S. to minimize fulfillment disruptions and to prevent sudden cost jumps, said CEO and co-founder Cam Stajer.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_5\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment8332557385031180737152974116093952\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 5<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-5\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"5\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-5\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Kala currently fulfills U.S. orders from its Canadian warehouse. Its direct-to-consumer business makes up the bulk of its sales, with the U.S. accounting for a \u201csignificant portion\u201d alongside Canada and the U.K., Stajer said.<\/p>\n<p>Stajer has also sought out new production and shipment hubs beyond China and North America to try to bypass tariffs, and increased orders and renegotiated costs from suppliers to keep its business humming.<\/p>\n<p>Other companies are looking to exploit existing loopholes, such as a U.S. trade rule known as \u201cfirst-sale for export.\u201d It allows importers to lower U.S. tariffs by basing the value of their items on the first or earliest sale in a string of transactions, such as the initial sale between the manufacturer and the middleman.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a complicated program that was leveraged in textiles, but we\u2019re seeing more appetite to learn and deploy it,\u201d West said, though he warned it was not something that could be implemented overnight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBusinesses have to be very detailed and compliant to even begin thinking about establishing a program like that. But at this point, exporters are looking under every rock to explore all of the available options they have.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_6\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment6277512131878985274194022597918720\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 6<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-6\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"6\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-6\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Shifting sourcing and manufacturing to the U.S. is another longer-term strategy that hinges on factors such as certifications, lead times and cost considerations, said Don Thompson, the founder and CEO of Beacon Commerce, which helps Canadian businesses sell on Amazon both in the U.S. and Canada.<\/p>\n<p>He estimates that 25 per cent of his clients, particularly those in the grocery and natural health sector, are exploring sourcing in the U.S. and searching for U.S. facilities that can produce their goods stateside.<\/p>\n<p>One of his clients, a major producer of household essentials, had planned to open a new factory in Florida in 2026, but bumped up its launch to 2025 due to the tariff threat.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>In the gut of every Canadian exporter \u2026 is a pit at the bottom of their stomach on whether this will creep up again<\/p>\n<p>Mackenzie West<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Many other companies are in wait-and-see mode when it comes to the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>Beck\u2019s Broth, a Guelph-based business that makes high-protein bone broth drinks, delayed its U.S. launch by several months due to the tariff threat, said the company\u2019s COO and co-founder Domenique Mastronardi.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe would have loved to launch in the U.S. already. We planned for the start of 2025. But we\u2019ve been forced to pump the brakes, take a step back and re-evaluate our timelines,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_7\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment4342082129753379495332914952929280\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 7<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-7\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"7\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-7\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The company is now aiming to launch in the U.S. in the second-quarter of this year. It will move its goods to U.S. warehouses and absorb the costs of any potential tariffs so the \u201cburden doesn\u2019t fall on the customer,\u201d Mastronardi said.<\/p>\n<p>New Brunswick coffee company Saltwinds entered the U.S. market last year through selling on Amazon. But it is now investing all of its ad dollars, inventory and attention on the Canadian market, said Laura Richard, its co-founder and COO. American retailers have been reluctant to talk and aren\u2019t necessarily looking to stock Canadian brands given the current trade and political climate, Richard said.<\/p>\n<p>The tariff threat, the loss of the U.S. market and rising coffee prices could have been \u201cdisastrous\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut Canadians have stepped up to the plate and shown us how big the market here can still be for us,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, Beacon Commerce\u2019s Thompson said that about half of his clients are \u201cbetting on the horse we know\u201d and investing in Canada rather than the U.S. until the dust settles.<\/p>\n<p>Even if Trump\u2019s tariffs fail to materialize, the threat alone means companies may continue to explore contingency plans well into the future.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_8\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment7574326009096948791175689585819648\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 8<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-8\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"8\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-8\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn the gut of every Canadian exporter \u2026 is a pit at the bottom of their stomach on whether this will creep up again,\u201d West said.<\/p>\n<p>As Kristen Hopewell, the Canada research chair and director of the Liu Institute for Global Issues at the University of British Columbia (UBC) who specializes in Canada-U.S. relations and international trade, put it, North America\u2019s integrated market is \u201cclearly in jeopardy.<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel6115117156874731390837196714934272\" class=\"more-topic\" data-aqa=\"embed-more-topic\" data-carousel-component=\"\" data-carousel-icon-button=\"\" data-carousel-type=\"list\">\n<p>Recommended from Editorial<\/p>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-prev\" data-carousel-prev=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"previous\" type=\"button\"\/><\/p>\n<ol class=\"more-topic__items list-unstyled\" data-carousel-slide-list=\"\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" remain=\"\" on=\"\" how=\"\" tariffs=\"\" will=\"\" apply=\"\" to=\"\" energy=\"\" data-carousel-item=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"> <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The U.S. tariff on Canadian energy includes a broad range of products. Trump's executive order refers to crude oil, natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids, refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal heat, hydroelectricity and critical minerals.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0204-bc-oil.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=il7QjDjXtN6K2f9lSkE58Q\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0204-bc-oil.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=5&amp;sig=1lsJRj9MWnqjvO0ygpXGDw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0204-bc-oil.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=il7QjDjXtN6K2f9lSkE58Q, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0204-bc-oil.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=4J-XAvPy7QLcshqWJv3MmQ 2x,&#10;                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/0204-bc-oil.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=C-P2RUOZ3lM12C6wuV19RA 3x\" class=\"lazyload\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\">Questions remain on how tariffs will apply to energy<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" business=\"\" leaders=\"\" have=\"\" lost=\"\" confidence=\"\" in=\"\" the=\"\" u.s.=\"\" data-carousel-item=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"> <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A looming trade war between Canada and the United States is causing strain between the two countries.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0227canada-us.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=AERPeLWkWAx-1IK3R2VMZg\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0227canada-us.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=5&amp;sig=e-MdQmTcFFXyXvZ-62dNKw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0227canada-us.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=AERPeLWkWAx-1IK3R2VMZg, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0227canada-us.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=D5E95ATDv3WAsXxfRRJCKQ 2x,&#10;                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/no0227canada-us.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=T3FbExSgijNQtp3WMisY5Q 3x\" class=\"lazyload\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\">Canadian business leaders have lost confidence in the U.S.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-next\" data-carousel-next=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"next\" type=\"button\"\/><\/section>\n<p>\u201cBusinesses need predictable and stable trading relationships to operate effectively,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s exactly what Trump has thrown into disarray.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em>\u2022 Email: ylau@postmedia.com <\/em><\/p>\n<p data-async=\"\"><em><strong>Bookmark our website and support our journalism:<\/strong> Don\u2019t miss the business news you need to know \u2014 add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" data-evt-typ=\"page_scroll\">\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n<br \/>How Canadian companies are preparing for Trump&#8217;s tariffs<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2025-02-28 22:34:31<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links News Economy Retail &amp; Marketing With Tuesday&#8217;s deadline approaching, exporters are scrambling to get paperwork in order while exploring longer term workarounds Published Feb 28, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":56831,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-56830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56830"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56830\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/56831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}