Canadian seafood industry members in the East Coast are feeling relieved as the federal government has excluded U.S. fish and seafood products from its list of tariffed items. The government made this announcement late on Wednesday, citing adjustments based on feedback received. This change followed the government’s imposition of counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods in response to the U.S. imposing 50% tariffs on similar goods after failed trade talks.
Initially, many seafood products were on the list facing a 25% tax rate, causing concern among industry leaders. Gilles Thériault, a former president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, expressed relief that the tariff on U.S. seafood had been removed. Nat Richard, the executive director of the Lobster Processors Association, highlighted the industry’s heavy integration across the border, with American-caught lobster often processed in Canadian plants before being shipped back to the U.S.
The potential 25% tariffs on seafood processing in Canada were deemed economically unsustainable by Richard, who warned of possible plant closures impacting hundreds of workers. Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, emphasized the broad impact of retaliatory tariffs on nearly all seafood imports. Joanne Losier of the New Brunswick Crab Processors echoed concerns about the industry being targeted and facing tit-for-tat tariffs.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston lauded the decision to remove seafood tariffs after raising concerns with the federal government. Despite this, the government maintains a dollar-for-dollar response to U.S. products, adding items like copper wire and charcoal to the tariff list. Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne stated that the decision to update the list was made in Canada’s best interest, underscoring the government’s responsiveness to public feedback.
