The following article is a broad timeline of the course of events surrounding the 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico.
The 2025 United States trade war with Canada began on February 1, 2025, when President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods, including a 25% tariff on most imports and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy products. Canada responded with its own retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods, escalating to $155 billion after three weeks. These measures marked a significant escalation in trade tensions, disrupting longstanding cross-border economic cooperation and prompting both countries to implement additional countermeasures and support programs for affected industries.
The conflict quickly expanded to include tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles, and a range of consumer goods, with both federal and provincial governments in Canada taking steps to mitigate the impact on businesses and workers. The trade war has led to market volatility, strained diplomatic relations, and forced companies on both sides of the border to adapt to new supply chain realities, while ongoing negotiations and temporary exemptions have provided only limited relief amid continued uncertainty.
United States tariffs | |||||
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Tariff | Announced | Effective | Status | Delayed | |
25% tariff on most Canadian goods | February 1, 2025 | April 3, 2025 | In effect [162] | On March 6, Trump delayed tariffs until April 2 on goods that are protected under the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) representing 38% of Canadian goods as of 2024. [163] [164] This 30-day reprieve on tariffs was intended to "minimize disruption to the [American] automotive industry". [76] | |
10% tariff on Canadian oil, gas, and potash | February 1, 2025 | April 3, 2025 | In effect [162] | Tariff delayed until April 2. [165] On March 6, tariff on Canadian potash lowered to 10% tariff. [166] [164] | |
50% tariffs on steel and aluminum products | February 10, 2025 (orig 25%) | June 4, 2025 [149] | In effect | Admin plans to eventually include copper. [167] [168] [164] | |
25% Auto and auto parts | March 26 [121] | April 3 | In effect | Tariffs will be imposed on all passenger vehicles and light trucks imported into the U.S. that are not manufactured domestically, excluding components that originate from the U.S. [169] Key auto parts like engines, transmissions, and electrical components became subject to tariffs on May 3, but USMCA-compliant parts were exempt. [141] | |
Proposed U.S. tariffs | |||||
Reciprocal tariffs | February 13, 2025 | Trump admin says reciprocal tariffs will begin April 2 [104] [170] | |||
Canadian lumber | March 1, 2025 | Trump asked Lutnick to investigate whether imports of lumber threaten America's national security. [171] | |||
250% tariffs on dairy products | March 7, 2025 | n.d. | Delayed | Under the USMCA, Canada imposes a sliding scale 241% tariff on certain dairy products applied after U.S. dairy exports reach a specific quota which has never been reached. [172] According to the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the United States transitioned over the last decade from a potential trade imbalance in dairy products to becoming a net exporter with an increase in 2024 to US$8 billion in exports to 140 countries, accounting for 17% of U.S. dairy production, with Canada importing US$1 billion. [j] | |
Canadian retaliatory tariffs on U.S. | |||||
Canadian retaliation | Announced | Effective | Status | Notes | |
25% on CA$30 bn (US$20.8 bn) of U.S. goods in effect. | February 1, 2025 | March 4, 2025 | In effect [173] | 25% on CA$30 bn (US$20.8 bn) of U.S. goods in effect. A planned expansion to an additional CA$125 bn (US$86 bn) worth of U.S. goods was delayed on March 6. [173] [33] [174] | |
25% tariffs on CA$29.8 bn (US$20.6 bn) of U.S. goods: CA$12.6 bn (US$8.7 bn) steel products, CA$3 bn (US$2 bn) aluminum products, and CA$14.2 bn (US$9.9 bn) misc. goods. | March 12, 2025 | March 13, 2025 | In effect | 25% tariffs on CA$29.8 bn (US$20.6 bn) of U.S. goods: CA$12.6 bn (US$8.7 bn) steel products, CA$3 bn (US$2 bn) aluminum products, and CA$14.2 bn (US$9.9 bn) misc. goods. [175] | |
25% tariffs on auto and autoparts | April 3 | April 9 | In effect [132] | This is a matching tariff on United States-made cars and components. [176] [k] |
See also Bloomberg News's dynamic tariff tracker. [169]
the largest free trade region in the world
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Fentanyl is also made in Canada and smuggled into the U.S., but to a much lesser extent. U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds (19.5 kilograms) of fentanyl at the Canadian border during the last fiscal year, compared with 21,100 pounds (9,570 kilograms) at the Mexican border.
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IInskeep, Steve (February 3, 2025). "Trump's words show why he's imposing tariffs. And it's not a goal he campaigned on". NPR.K
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CBSA officials seized some eight million grams of drugs compared to five million taken by U.S. Customs and Border Protection last year, government data shows.
Tasker, John Paul (April 3, 2025b). "Carney hits back at Trump's auto tariffs, warns U.S. trade action will'rupture the global economy'". CBC News. Retrieved April 3, 2025.
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"To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is 'tariff.'
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