Abbotsford – Tariffs are the most urgent threat facing Canadian and American businesses today. Modelling from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab suggests that these tariffs would come at a huge economic cost, reducing real annual income by $1,900 CAD per Canadian and $1,300 USD per American.
On the list of Canada’s 41 largest cities, Abbotsford ranks #15 on the list of communities that have the highest exposure to the impact of Trump’s tariffs. The city is home to over 300 exporters, and for over 90% of them, their primary export market is the United States.
“To each of our businesses, we are with you. The Abbotsford Chamber is committed to fighting against these tariffs with every tool available, including advocacy through the national Chamber, elected officials, and through Chambers of Commerce on the American side”, said Kevin Mierau President of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce.
“We’re already hearing from our members of significant strategic decisions from diversifying their customer relationships outside of the United States, increasing prices, and exploring domestic sourcing alternatives wherever possible,” said Alex Mitchell, CEO of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce. “With so much potential economic exposure, it’s also about ensuring our businesses can weather the impact of these tariffs – today needs to catalyze major change in our own country to remove the barriers that have been holding our private sector back through decades of accumulated red tape.”
To empower the Canadian and American businesses and stakeholders who are working hard to articulate the value of our trade relationship, the Business Data Lab launched its Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker. The interactive and customizable online tool highlights the deep and vital economic interconnections at the state, province, territory and now 41 Canadian Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) level.
“Tariffs are a lose-lose. They would raise business costs, reduce North America’s international competitiveness, and ultimately increase consumer prices at a time when Canadians and Americans are both struggling with significant affordability challenges,” says Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. “The dynamic and localized information available in the Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker will help government leaders, businesses and citizens on both sides of the border better understand these critical cross-border linkages and then make the case to decision-makers that we should strengthen rather than break these mutually beneficial ties.”
Canada is the largest export market for 34 states, reaching all the south way to Mississippi and Florida with each province and territory having its own special trade relationship with many American states.
For British Columbia:
- Washington State is British Columbia’s top American trading partner.
- Two-way goods trade between the U.S. and British Columbia accounts for over $50 Billion
- 330 companies in Abbotsford export to the United States, totalling $1.5 Billion annually
- Goods export account for 12.5% of Abbotsford’s GDP, nearly $7,000 per capita
New Brunswick, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia are home to the twenty CMAs most at risk from tariffs due to their economic reliance on U.S. exports and dependence on the U.S. as a key export market.
With the up-to-date state of the relationship on full display through the Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker, it’s undeniable: we do better together.
What can businesses do?
View our Tariff Resources Page
Complete the Abbotsford Chamber Impact Survey
Visit the Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker to learn about your province, territory or city’s relationship with the U.S and see the Cities Ranking
Share your Story with us at hello@abbotsfordchamber.com
