The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is disappointed to see that President Donald Trump has made the short-sighted decision to implement tariffs, plunging Canada and the United States into an unnecessary, irresponsible trade war that will see notable consequences on both sides of the border.

“The Canadian and American construction industries rely heavily on free-flowing supplies of essential construction materials. These needless tariffs will decrease productivity, harm economic growth, and put critical projects and countless construction jobs at risk – on both sides of the border,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, president of the Canadian Construction Association. “Once again, the new U.S. administration clearly demonstrates that they have a limited understanding of how damaging these measures will be on the integrated economy between our two countries.”

In response to Trump’s tariffs on Canadian products, the Government of Canada has announced tariffs on an initial $30 billion worth of American goods and promised $125 billion more in 21 days. CCA commends the federal government for its continued prioritization of industry consultation and looks forward to continuing to be an active participant in those discussions.

These tariffs present a significant risk for the construction industry. This likely means increased costs for homebuilding and trade-enabling infrastructure, impacts to supply chains and trading relationships, and a weakening of economic development and productivity.

While the federal government is right to respond in kind, CCA reiterates its call for all governments to consider economic measures to support Canadian businesses and stimulate our economy, in consultation with industry.

“Once again, this is a time where we need all Canadians to stand up for Canada. This is not the time to sit on our hands – we all have to work together to increase productivity and support Canadian businesses, so that we can all build a stronger Canada and surmount this trade conflict,” said Gilbert.