The manager of a university book store in Halifax is expressing concerns about Canada’s plan to counter-tariff more American goods on April 2nd — saying it could create a ‘disastrous’ situation for book retailers across the country.
Paul MacKay, who’s worked at the King’s Co-Op Bookstore for more than a decade, said a 25 per cent tariff on books imported from the United States could put small bookshops in a difficult position.
He says the solution isn’t as simple as “buying Canadian” as the Canadian book industry is reliant on production south of the border.
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“A lot of books that are by Canadian authors are actually printed in the U.S., or stored in the U.S., so you might think, ‘I’m going to buy, let’s say any Canadian author’, even Mark Carney’s book actually is printed in the U.S., so his books would be subject to a 25 per cent tariff,” MacKay said.
As a result, he says shop owners are stuck between absorbing a 25 per cent increase or passing along the price hike to customers — two options that could negatively impact an industry already operating on slim margins.
Sydney Haines, a university student who works at the bookstore, said heightened book costs will make life more unaffordable for students.
“I’ve had people come down here, look at the list price, balk, and walk out of here because they simply just can’t afford the books anymore. And if this comes into effect, that will multiply tenfold,” she said.
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