UPDATE AS OF FEB. 3, 2025 AT 4:59 P.M. EASTERN: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the U.S. tariffs on Canada will be “paused” for 30 days. Read more about the announcement here.
Maritime premiers — alongside Canada’s other premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — are hitting back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Trump signed an executive order Saturday evening imposing 25 per cent tariffs on almost all Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy products that come into effect Tuesday.
In response, Trudeau has announced counter-tariffs worth $155 billion, covering everyday items such as beer, wine, fruits, fruit juices, perfume, clothing and shoes.
Shortly after Trump inked the executive order, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston issued a statement saying it was “remarkable to find ourselves at odds with our best friend and neighbour.”
“We must ramp up our focus on finding new markets here at home with programs like Nova Scotia Loyal, focus on developing our own resources, eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers and, finally, of course, look for international diversification,” he said.
In response to the U.S. tariffs, Houston said Nova Scotia will “limit access” to provincial procurement for American businesses, as well as “look for opportunities” to cancel existing contracts.
Nova Scotia has also doubled the tolls for commercial vehicles from the United States at the Cobequid Pass effective Monday.

As of Tuesday, Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) will also remove all American alcohol from its shelves.
Meanwhile, in New Brunswick, Premier Susan Holt said that province’s actions will begin at midnight Tuesday.
“In the face of Trump’s tariff tax New Brunswick alongside Team Canada, is ready to defend our economy. Our team will use every tool in our toolbox to help support New Brunswickers and help end these tariffs,” Holt told reporters Monday.

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She noted that NB Liquor sells $40 million worth of American alcohol in their stores, and that she had directed NB Liquor to stop purchasing U.S. alcohol, while also removing products from shelves.
New Brunswick will also be reviewing their procurement processes and will “stop the signing of deals with United States companies, except for critical services for New Brunswickers that cannot be immediately replaced.”

In order to protect its economy, Holt said she’s asked Opportunities NB and the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour to finalize programs that support workers and entrepreneurs. The province will also review internal trade barriers.
She also advised New Brunswickers to be mindful in their shopping decisions.
“I encourage you all to be intentional about your buying at the grocery store, and buying local and Canadian whenever and wherever you can,” she said in a Monday morning video posted on social media.
Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King has also announced the province will remove American products from liquor stores and limit procurement with U.S. companies.
“As the PEI Liquor Control Commission is the sole wholesaler for these products in our province, these products will be removed from the catalogue of products offered by the LCC which will mean that restaurants and agency stores can’t reorder or restock U.S. products,” King wrote on Facebook.
Shoppers and retailers changing habits
As the “buy Canadian” movement spreads in the country, Maritimers are doing their part and double checking labels.
Moncton, N.B. shopper, Louis Arseneault, said his habits have changed ever since President Trump began his tariffs threat.
“From now on, we are looking for Canadian. Ever since we heard about the tariffs, we go to the stores every day and we look at the labels. We’ve been doing that,’ he said.
In fact, Arseneault said he and his wife recently chose to leave a grocery store when they couldn’t find any Canadian produce — something they’ve never done before.
Retailers are also changing their habits, and putting more of a focus on Canadian products.
At Rinzler’s, an independent grocer in Moncton, more than 90 per cent of the stock comes from within Canada.
And co-owner James Rinzler points out Canadian beef may actually come down in price for shoppers, because of the tariffs.
“I’m looking at some of the beef plants, they may do some exporting to the USA, and (the tariffs) could cause a surplus of beef in Canada, which could drive prices down a little bit,” he said.
The owner of Beautiful, a prom dress store in Bedford, N.S., said Canada’s retaliatory tariffs means she will no longer sell dresses imported from the United States.
Denise MacIsaac said the 25 per cent tariff would mean her prices would have to go up astronomically.
“If we did a $500 dress online, which still looks reasonable online, the exchange rate puts it at $730. The 25 per cent import tax puts it at $912.50. That’s shocking (along with) our own 15 per cent import tax,” she said.
“This is just straight dollar for dollar. Puts it at $1,049.38.”
On social media, MacIsaac informed customers the store would honour existing orders but that no new dresses would be purchased from the U.S. “This is economic warfare,” she wrote.
“This is going to be crippling to our economy. Crippling. And the spin off of all these little small businesses and midsize businesses really need your support,” she told Global News.
That counter-tariff response announced by the federal government will have widespread impact, said the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s president Patrick Sullivan.
Shoppers can expect to see prices rise — on both sides of the border.
“That’ll impact the food that we eat, that will impact some of the steel that goes in buildings. It could impact any number of things,” said Sullivan.
“Ultimately, it’s going to increase costs for Canadian consumers, along with the tariffs in the U.S. that are going to increase costs for U.S. consumers.”
Meanwhile, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour warned of potential job losses, which would be particularly devastating for rural communities that rely on fishery, forestry and lobster exports.
“This response is going to need to be much stronger than anything we did in the pandemic. This is this is going to have far-reaching implications,” said Danny Cavanaugh, the federation’s president.
“We can actually change the local economy here when we spend more of our hard earned dollars on locally-made products and goods. And that keeps people working here in our province.”
— with files from Global News’ Suzanne Lapointe and Mitchell Bailey
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