Since President-Elect Trump made his first public statements on tariffs, The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce has been working to gather our members’ concerns and thoughts, prepare guidance and recommendations to all levels of government, and advocate for measures to help our local business community buffer against the potential storm.

From various media interviews with local and national platforms to on-going government relations, our Chamber is actively working to ensure the voice of Winnipeg business is shaping more than our anticipated response, but a post-crisis strategy that better minimizes risks to our economy and quality of life.

Winnipeg Chamber leaders have and continue to meet with the Premier, key provincial Ministers, the Mayor, and municipal leaders to discuss concerns and approaches.

The approach must begin with a unified national message and a tangible plan to both respond in kind but ensure measures to support affected sectors and businesses.

The Chamber is Working Toward a Unified “Team Canada” Approach

The Winnipeg Chamber, as part of the Canadian Global Cities Council (CGCC), has requested a meeting with key federal officials, including Christiane Fox, Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and Associate Secretary to Cabinet; Chris Forbes, Deputy Minister of Finance; Philip Jennings, Deputy Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED); and Rob Stewart, Deputy Minister of International Trade. The focus of this meeting will be to explore a unified “Team Canada” approach to fostering strong trade relations with the United States in the years ahead.

Provincially, The Winnipeg Chamber has advocated for direct support to business via payroll tax relief or redistribution. Further, the current tariff crisis must be a catalyst for Canadian provinces to move decisively to remove all remaining interprovincial trade barriers. Removal of these barriers is estimated to generate a net economic impact of approximately $1,800 per person in Canada, or the near equivalent of the anticipated economic impact of the 25% US tariffs. Lastly, while the US is and will remain our primary market and our closest ally, we must mitigate risk and future exposure to US protectionism by way of enhanced investments in trade enabling infrastructure to spur greater market diversification in global markets.

What’s Next and How to Get Involved

Our priority remains ensuring our members’ voices are heard, and your concerns are addressed through the strategies implemented by both Manitoba and Canada. Be sure to register here and join us for our inaugural Policy Exchange on January 24^th to share your thoughts and concerns regarding US trade relations.