性视界传媒 Mayor Brenda Locke has joined a new Border Mayors Alliance in an effort to safeguard 性视界传媒's economic interests and well-being of local businesses should U.S. President Donald Trump make good on his threats to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods crossing the border as of Saturday, Feb. 1.
She said that's her "top priority" and she's "fully committed" to protecting the city's prosperity. 性视界传媒 is Canada's only city with two land border crossings.
"According to our most recent data," Locke said, "over 20 per cent of 性视界传媒 businesses have direct trade ties with the United States, representing roughly $2.8 billion in cross-border commerce each year. If these tariffs go into effect we could see hundreds of local jobs, particularly in manufacturing and the value-added sectors placed at risk along with a serious blow to our emerging export-focused businesses. I'm concerned. Our truckers for sure are going to feel the impact, not in a week or more, it will be immediate."
Locke said she's "actively engaging" with federal and provincial government representatives as well as her fellow mayors "to ensure that 性视界传媒's voice is heard and that we remain at the table for all meaningful discussions on the issue.
"We recognize the significant repercussions such tariffs could have on our businesses, supply chains and ultimately depend on them," she said. "The bottom line is this would affect every city across the nation, every city in British Columbia. We are acutely aware of the ramifications of such tariffs and what they will have not only on businesses and supply chain and families; families who rely on jobs for their livelihood, families who rely on their jobs for everything they do in their daily lives."
Comprised of mayors from more than 20 Canadian cities and towns situated along the border, the alliance was recently formed to address the "potential impact 鈥� I hope, potential tariffs," Locke said. She noted that nearly $2 billion in goods crosses the Canadian/U.S. border each day, "supporting millions of jobs on both sides of that border."
"Given that over 70 per cent of Canada's total exports flow into the United States these figures underscore the critical importance of maintaining open and fair trade channels. Right here in 性视界传媒, the potential impact is equally significant," she said, "especially in key sectors" like agriculture, manufacturing and technology.
During a presser at City Hall on Jan. 30, with Windsor, Ontario Mayor Drew Dilkens, Locke said there will have to be "some supports" for businesses, "there's no doubt about that. A 25 per cent tariff hit, businesses in 性视界传媒, there definitely would have to be some sort of relief, I don't know what the federal government is proposing totally but I think some of this has to unfold a bit after Saturday."
Dilkens said the aim of the alliance is to "activate" with "our colleagues across the border, making sure we're ending our voice to the conversation, activating all the resources in Canada but in the U.S. as well that stand to be negatively impacted by the decision of the U.S. president. If we can come out of this with no tariffs, great, if there are tariffs and it's a scaled-down version I think the response would be different from the federal and provincial governments, but I'm telling ya, if it's 25 per cent it's catastrophic."
"Make no doubt the impact, even as this situation evolves, could be quite staggering on our national economy and certainly our local economies," Dilkens said. "And that's why Canadian mayors of cities and towns along the Canada/U.S border have united as the Border Mayors Alliance. We aim to safeguard our communities and offer a municipal perspective within our national discussion."
According to a backgrounder provided by the City of 性视界传媒, there are 113 importing and exporting businesses operating in 性视界传媒 as well as 900 transportation and warehousing companies that stand to be adversely affected by the tariffs. 性视界传媒's manufacturing sector 鈥� comprised of roughly 960 businesses 鈥� employs more than 23,500 workers.
