CCI Statement on U.S. Tariff Threat

U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated that he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imported goods. Many of the details on the tariffs remain unclear at this stage, and the federal government has not yet announced any public response.

On behalf of our members, more than 150 Canadian-headquartered technology companies, CCI President Benjamin Bergen issued the following statement:

"Now is the time to double-down on Canada. We cannot ignore the economic nationalism that is ascendant around the world, and we cannot act like our hands are tied by free trade agreements when our closest allies are ignoring those treaties. We should be looking to Canadian technology providers to help secure the border, and both federal and provincial governments should be working with Canadian companies to deliver services and solutions to Canadian needs. Our ability to weather these challenges will not be determined by how we respond in the days ahead, but by the choices we make to secure a stronger, more independent economic future.

"A strong and swift government response is essential to mitigate the immediate damage, but short-term relief measures cannot be a substitute for a long-term economic strategy. This moment must serve as a wake-up call. Canada’s long-term economic resilience depends on building a more self-sufficient, innovation-driven economy where Canadian firms are positioned as global leaders.

"For decades, Canada has been on autopilot when it comes to trade policy, assuming that access to U.S. markets was guaranteed. That assumption is no longer valid. It’s time to rethink Canada’s economic strategy, one that is proactive, not reactive, and rooted in long-term competitiveness, innovation, and sovereignty. A stronger domestic industrial base, strategic procurement policies, and improved access to growth capital will allow us to better navigate trade hostilities and global volatility. We can put ourselves on the best possible footing by building up our homegrown Canadian businesses as the engine of our future wealth and prosperity.”

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The Council of Canadian Innovators is exclusively made up of Canadian-headquartered technology companies. We believe that supporting our homegrown innovators is the best way to achieve greater economic security in a volatile world. In the first edition of our "By Canadian" series, we recently highlighted the value of using one of our CCI members — Helcim — for payments processing services. Learn more here.

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Contact médias :

James McLeod
jmcleod@canadianinnovators.org