After U.S. president-elect Donald Trump announced Monday night that an intense tariff would be placed on the Canadian and Mexican borders, Saskatchewan isn’t happy with the news.
Trump announced he will sign an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all products coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico once he comes into office.
“A 25 per cent tariff proposed by President-elect Donald Trump would be harmful to our Saskatchewan export-based economy and will drive up prices on both sides of the border,” Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said on social media.
“The Saskatchewan government is talking to the incoming USA administration and working alongside Canada’s Premiers and the Federal Government to ensure this does not happen.
“The main concern raised by President-elect Trump is border security. As Canadians, we can all benefit from additional border security stopping the flow of illegal drugs and migrants across our borders,” Moe went on to say.
Trump says the tariffs would stay in place until Canada and Mexico stop illegal border crossings and prevent drugs like fentanyl from entering the U.S.
“We don’t want drugs inflowing or outflowing across our borders,” Moe said in the Legislative Building Tuesday. “I think Canadians would largely support an increased investment in border security… securing our border is part of securing our nation.”
In 2023, Saskatchewan’s exports to the U.S. amounted to $26.9 billion after hitting an all-time high of $29.3 billion in 2022.
Saskatchewan’s top exports include crude oil, potash and canola.
Moe said moving forward, the provincial government will be working with the federal government on outreach with the incoming Trump administration.
“The Premiers are already discussing how and when we might arrive in Washington to aid and support the national engagement efforts, but to also do what we can as a provincial representative body,” Moe said.
Global News spoke to a few producers at the Canadian Western Agribition to get their thoughts on the tariff. The common theme was it’s hard to tell the impact it will have.
Bridget Andrews, part of a fourth-generation family ranch outside of Moose Jaw, said the potential tariff increase is concerning to hear but wants to know more info.
“It affects our economy, and it affects things in agriculture and other industries,” Andrews said. “It is a negative thing for Canada. It will affect a lot of industries, not only agriculture.”
She feels the tariff increase will greatly impact commodity pricing in her industry.
“It’s going to affect the people that take our product and produce commodities from our product that we sell right to them,” Andrews said. “It’s going to affect the manufacturing. It’s going to affect the retail. It’s going to affect our bottom line.”
Scott Fettes is a cattle rancher in the province.
“It’s hard to have a reaction right now because we don’t know what the tariff is on,” Fettes said. “When we know, then we will worry about it.”
Jeffrey Yorga, the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association president, said it is very hard to tell what’s coming as the news is so fresh.
“I think that the cattle industry north of the border and south of the border works well together, and everybody who is on the file understands what has to happen,” Yorga said.
“If there is tariffs, it’s our hope is that it will be temporary and our governments will start seeing eye to eye.”