The City of Brampton is taking proactive steps to shield its economy from the impending 25% tariffs on Canadian goods set to be imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump as early as next week.
In a motion before city council, Mayor Patrick Brown is calling for the creation of a task force to establish direct trade relationships with U.S. businesses and municipalities that may also be negatively affected by the tariffs.
The proposed strategy aims to strengthen economic ties by engaging U.S. companies already operating in Brampton and reaching out to American cities with shared economic interests. The plan also includes eliminating inter-provincial trade barriers to boost domestic trade and mitigate reliance on U.S. markets.
“We need to take action to protect Brampton’s businesses and workers,” said Brown. “By developing direct relationships with U.S. stakeholders, we can work around these damaging tariffs and create new economic opportunities.”
Brampton’s initiative follows the city’s recent “Made in Canada” motion, which directed staff to review procurement policies in response to the tariff threat. The city has also launched a promotional campaign highlighting products made in Brampton that are vital to both Canadian and American consumers. Featured companies include:
- Coca-Cola Canada Bottling Ltd.
- Maple Lodge Farms
- Mopar Auto Parts
- Endy Mattresses
- HelloFresh Canada
- Italpasta
- Rogers Communications
- Lululemon
- MDA Space
A press conference is scheduled for February 26, where city officials are expected to outline further details of the trade strategy.
With Brampton’s economy deeply intertwined with cross-border trade, city leaders are determined to find solutions that protect local jobs and businesses. Whether these efforts will be enough to counter the impact of Trump’s tariffs remains to be seen.