Murray Wood: Who's hot... and who's not
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OTTAWA — The trade war between Canada and the United States entered a new chapter on Tuesday, with the Canadian government’s announcement of retaliatory tariff measures.
Canada is striking back with tariffs that the federal government says are targeted at sectors that are most affected by the Trump administration’s tariffs.
Here’s a look at the new levies that are set to come into effect on Sept. 8:
Dairy
A 50 per cent tariff is being applied to a variety of American dairy products.
This includes milk and cream, including concentrated and sweetened varieties and powders. It also applies to whey and several milk and whey protein products.
A 25 per cent tariff applies to fresh cheese and curd, including grated, powdered and processed varieties. The list specifies types of cheese: Camembert, brie, blue cheese, cheddar, mozzarella, Swiss, Gruyère, Havarti and Parmesan, to name a few.
Under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, imports of U.S. dairy products are tariff-free until specific quotas are reached. Imports over the quotas are subject to tariff rates of upwards of 200 per cent.
These new 50 per cent tariffs will apply to imports both below and above the quota rate, according to the Finance Department.
Seafood
Canada initially announced plans to impose a 25 per cent tariff on a wide range of U.S. seafood.
It covered imports of many kinds of live, fresh, preserved and frozen seafood: salmon, halibut, cod, haddock, tilapia, lobster, crabs, shrimps and prawns, oysters and mollusks, swordfish, mackerel, and a variety of smaller fish such as herring, capelin, anchovies and sardines.
On Aug. 26, Ottawa reversed course on the planned seafood tariffs and removed them from the list of goods, citing feedback from the fishing and processing sectors.
Forestry and wood
Canada will target U.S. wood products with 25 per cent tariffs. This includes softwood like pine, fir and spruce that has been sawn or sliced thicker than six millimetres.
Plywood and veneered panels made from a variety of different softwoods and hardwoods will be hit with a 50 per cent levy.
Tariffs of either 25 or 50 per cent will apply to products like toilet paper, facial tissue, napkins and similar sanitary products (the rate will depend on specific import sizes).
A 50 per cent tariff will apply to most types of paper and paperboard, envelopes, and corrugated boxes and cases, with a lower 25 per cent levy for some imports of kraft paper and bleached paper products under a certain weight.
Wooden furniture for household use is subject to a 50 per cent tariff, except for kitchen furniture items which are at 25 per cent.
On Aug. 26, Ottawa added a 50 per cent tariff on imports of wood charcoal.
Steel, aluminum and copper
A variety of steel and aluminum products are being hit with a 50 per cent tariff, raising the rate from the current 25 per cent.
It includes steel rods, bars and sheets, along with prefabricated items like bridges, towers, scaffolding and door and window frames.
Aluminum products such as wires, bars, rods and foil are all subject to the 50 per cent tariff rate.
As of Aug. 26, Ottawa added a 50 per cent tariff to various sizes of copper wire.
Canada had imposed a 25 per cent tariff on American steel and aluminum products in March 2025 in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Trump raised the tariff on steel to 50 per cent in June.
Trump’s latest threat, posted on Truth Social on Monday, was to raise tariffs to 50 per cent on Canadian steel, aluminum and vehicles as of Jan. 1, 2027.
Cosmetics, clothing and textiles
Some beauty products and makeup will be subject to 50 per cent tariffs.
This includes perfumes and eau de toilettes, sunscreen and suntan products, lip and eye makeup, manicure and pedicure preparations, and hair products.
Tariffs of 50 per cent are being applied to a long list of clothing items that range from men’s suits and overcoats to T-shirts and dresses, track suits and ski suits.
The tariff would also apply to hazardous material suits and protective clothing.
A 25 per cent levy applies to handwoven rugs, tiles and carpets made of wool, animal hair and a range of other textile materials.
Other products
A 50 per cent tariff is set to begin in September on smartphones.
The same rate will apply to golf clubs and equipment, video game consoles, chandeliers and light fixtures, exercise equipment and fishing rods.
American natural honey will be subject to a 50 per cent tariff, as is molasses.
Tariffs of 50 per cent will apply to plastic wall and ceiling coverings made with vinyl chloride.
Plastics, including bags, packaging, tableware and kitchenware, are subject to 50 per cent tariffs.
Most air conditioners are subject to 15 per cent tariffs.
A 25 per cent tariff will kick in on appliances including stoves and ranges, refrigerators and freezers, laundry machines and small appliances including rice cookers, bread makers, grills and cooking plates.
Tariffs of 15 or 25 per cent will be applied to tower cranes, jacks and hoists, forklift trucks and lawn mowers.
Rail locomotives, train parts and railway maintenance vehicles are being hit with 25 per cent tariffs.
A 50 per cent tariff will apply on motorcycles. Trailers and semi-trailers will be subject to 25 per cent tariffs.
A 15 per cent tariff will apply to moulds for metal, rubber and plastics.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 25, 2026.
Sarah Ritchie, The Canadian Press
