Tariff tracker: the latest updates in the U.S., Canada trade war

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U.S President Donald Trump’s trade war against his country’s largest trading partner has been anything but straightforward. Here, the Financial Post tracks key moments in the ongoing battle so that you don’t have to.

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Bookmark this page to keep tabs on the trade war with our interactive graphic, updated daily.

MARCH 4 — U.S. LAUNCHES TARIFF WAR

President Trump implements sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, with a lesser 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy products.

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MARCH 4 — CANADA RETALIATES

Canada imposes retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs on $30-billion worth of imported U.S. goods, including orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics and certain pulp and paper products.

MARCH 5 — U.S. EXEMPTS AUTOS

Trump grants a one-month exemption for automobiles and parts imported from Canada and Mexico that are covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

MARCH 6 — U.S. BROADENS EXEMPTIONS

Trump adjusts his exemption order to include all products covered under CUSMA. However, tariffs remain in place on goods that do not qualify for CUSMA preference:

• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA energy products (includes some oil and critical minerals)  
• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA potash
• 25 per cent on all other non-CUSMA goods

MARCH 10 — ONTARIO APPLIES SURTAX ON ELECTRICITY

Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposes a retaliatory 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to New York, Minnesota and Michigan.

MARCH 11 — ONTARIO PAUSES ELECTRICITY SURTAX

Ford pauses the tax after speaking with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who agrees to meet the premier and federal finance minister, Dominic LeBlanc, on March 13. The White House also withdraws threats to double scheduled tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent.

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MARCH 12 — U.S. SLAPS TARIFFS ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM

The U.S. implements 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports.

MARCH 13 — CANADA RETALIATES AGAIN

On top of the $30 billion in retaliatory tariffs announced on March 4, Canada imposes a 25 per cent tariff on an additional $29.8-billion worth of U.S. imports, including steel ($12.6 billion), aluminum ($3 billion) and other goods ($14.2 billion), including computers, sports equipment and cast-iron products.

WHAT’S NEXT

MARCH 20 — CHINA RETALIATES

In response to tariffs Canada announced in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles (100 per cent), steel and aluminum (25 per cent), China plans to implement tariffs on some Canadian food imports, including:

• 100 per cent on canola oil, canola meal and pea products
• 25 per cent on seafood
• 25 per cent on pork

APRIL 2 — U.S. RECIPROCAL TARIFFS

The U.S. plans to implement “reciprocal tariffs” on all countries — including Canada and Mexico — with existing tariffs, taxes and other non-tariff barriers that restrict U.S. market access.

“Whatever countries charge the United States of America we will charge them, no more no less,” Trump said when he announced the plan on Feb. 13.

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Details are light on what exactly the order will include and how much the U.S. will levy, but could include CUSMA compliant products, including auto parts, as well as Canadian dairy, pharmaceuticals, lumber and semiconductors.

APRIL 2 — CANADA RETALIATES #3

When the Canadian government first announced retaliatory tariffs on March 4, it pledged to apply them to a total of $155 billion in U.S. goods. If the U.S. doesn’t remove all tariffs against Canada, the Canadian government’s next round of retaliatory tariffs would be added to $95-billion worth of taxable U.S. goods, on top of the previously announced $59.8 billion.

• Email: jswitzer@postmedia.com

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