Tax & Trade Blog

While Canadian businesses may have a 30-day reprieve from the threatened Trump and Canadian retaliatory tariffs, businesses should take the opportunity now to put plans in place to minimize the fallout should tariffs be enacted.  One avenue businesses can pursue to mitigate the impact of the tariffs is duty drawback.   

While President Trump’s Executive Order removes the option for American businesses to claim duty drawback, Canada Border Services Agency (“CBSA”) has confirmed that duty drawback remains available for Canadian businesses engaged in the import and subsequent export of goods, even if retaliatory tariffs come into force.

The trade relationship between the United States (“US”) and Canada received a brief period of reprieve with the recent 30-day postponement of President Trump’s blanket tariffs and Canada’s retaliatory countermeasures.  Despite this intermission, the US and Canada appear set to face off again with tariffs and other countermeasures, much like their counterparts on the ice in the nations face off. 

President Trump has shown a willingness to continue his strategy of cajoling Canada into trade concessions, as evidenced by his February 10, 2025, executive order imposing a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports entering the US.  While there may be legitimate questions about the legality of such tariffs, in this dispute where the refs are off the ice the size of the US economy is a major advantage.