Manitoba’s southern neighbours are getting worried as the Canadian government has levied tariffs on a number of products.
The North Dakota Trade Office’s Executive Director Simon Wilson said many manufacturers are concerned about new Canadian tariffs on products, imposed after the American government placed tariffs on aluminium and steel.
“Consumers on both sides of the border are affected as well, as they will likely bear the costs of each country’s imposed tariffs,” Wilson said.
In North Dakota, 87 per cent of exports go to Canada, making up more than $4 billion in trade going north.
Grand Forks Economic Development’s Barry Wilfahrt said one of the biggest impacts on trade has been a weak Canadian dollar and that 20 per cent of the city’s business comes from Canadians when the dollar is closer to par.
Economist Rob Warren said there’s never a winner in a trade war.
“The prices get more expensive for consumers so we are paying more for everything,” he said.
“The worst part is, it gets into this tit-for-tat trade where everything just gets more expensive.”
More to come Monday on Global News.