Canadian Chamber’s Research Pinpoints Most Tariff-Vulnerable Cities in Canada

President Trump’s proposed tariffs will have significant consequences for the global economy — but for some of Canada’s cities, the threat is far more local and personal.

Ottawa, ON — According to new analysis released today by the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab, Saint John, New Brunswick, Calgary, Alberta, and Windsor, Ontario, are the Canadians cities most vulnerable to U.S. tariffs.The looming tariff threat is still very real: we have to remain vigilant and brace for impact. Already we’ve heard from members across Canada how the threat of tariffs is disrupting local businesses and economies. This new data further emphasizes that this is not a game we want to play when so many livelihoods depend on a stable relationship with the U.S.

• Candace Laing, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

To determine the risk level of the 41 largest cities in Canada, the Business Data Lab developed a U.S. Tariff Exposure Index that reflects both a city’s U.S. export intensity and its dependence on the U.S. as a key export destination. As we examine the top 10 most exposed economies alone, certain key themes and impacts emerge:

• Key energy exporters such as Calgary, Alberta, and Saint John, New Brunswick.

• Several cities in Southwestern Ontario’s auto and manufacturing hubs located along the 401 Highway.

• Canada’s largest steel producer, Hamilton, Ontario.

• Quebec’s aluminum and forestry producers, Saguenay and Trois-Rivières.

President Trump’s proposed tariffs will have significant consequences for the global economy — but for some of Canada’s cities, the threat is far more local and personal. With this analysis, Canadians, businesses and policymakers have more evidence to inform ongoing discussions about how Canada can best respond to the monumental challenge brought by unnecessary and unjustified U.S. tariffs.

• Stephen Tapp, Chief Economist, Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

The U.S. Tariff Exposure Index can be found here. Users can interact with the Index to quickly find relevant information for each of Canada’s 41 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with populations over 100,000, including local GDP, population figures, trade values, and the number of companies in the city that export to the U.S.

These vulnerability rankings are designed to highlight the relative exposures within Canada to U.S. tariffs. This is a complicated and fluid situation and the ultimate economic damage done will depend heavily on how long these tariffs remain a threat or are put in place.

Source: https://chamber.ca/news/canadian-chambers-research-pinpoints-most-tariff-vulnerable-cities-in-canada/