Canada Issues Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Goods Canada will impose new tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of U.S. goods beginning Sept. 8, adding another layer of costs and uncertainty for businesses that rely on trade between the two countries. The new tariffs, announced Aug. 25, range from 15 percent to 50 percent and will apply to a broad range of U.S. imports. Additionally, existing Canadian counter-tariffs, including those on U.S. automobiles, will remain in place. Products affected by the new tariffs include: Steel and aluminum products; appliances and household goods; dairy products; agricultural equipment; paper products; electronics; and clothing and apparel. The Canadian action follows the breakdown of trade negotiations between the United States and Canada earlier this summer. The Trump administration imposed new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian goods effective Aug. 22 after the talks failed to produce an agreement. Canada is Pennsylvania’s largest export market, with Pennsylvania businesses exporting $13.4 billion in goods there in 2025, or roughly 27 percent of the state’s total exports. Pennsylvania also imported approximately $13.4 billion in Canadian goods last year. An analysis by the Philadelphia Inquirer found that about $2 billion, or 16 percent, of Pennsylvania’s 2025 exports to Canada will be subject to the new tariffs. The impact could also extend beyond businesses that export directly to Canada. The United States and Canada have closely connected supply chains in industries including manufacturing, agriculture, energy, and automotive production. Additional tariffs can raise costs for businesses that rely on Canadian suppliers or components. Canadian officials say the new tariffs are intended to match the scope and rates of the new U.S. tariffs. The new tariffs add to a broader series of U.S. and Canadian trade measures over the past two years. With negotiations reportedly stalled, the new trade barriers could increase costs for Pennsylvania producers and decrease their competitiveness in Canadian markets, affecting a key trade relationship for the Commonwealth.
Prices of crude oil rise amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—see how it’s impacting the cost of fuel for truck drivers
Memo to PA Congressional Delegation to Support of Bicameral Congressional Authority Trade Act – Jan. 5, 2022
PA Chamber Welcomes US-EU Trade and Technology Council Meeting to Pittsburgh PA Chamber President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement regarding tomorrow’s inaugural meeting in Pittsburgh of the United States and European Union Trade and Technology Council: “On behalf of Pennsylvania’s business community, we welcome European Commission Executive Vice Presidents Margrethe Vestager and Valdis Dombrovski to Pittsburgh to meet with Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Pennsylvania has a growing portfolio of innovative technology companies, in addition to our historic leadership positions in energy, manufacturing, and trade and logistics. With international trade supporting more than 1.5 million Pennsylvania jobs and several EU nations among our state’s top trading partners, we encourage our leaders and the delegation from the EU to work on policy that leverages both of our strengths and promotes enhanced coordination and cooperation to address global challenges.”
State & Federal Political Recap Gov. Wolf Holds News Conference in Support of Minimum Wage Increase On Friday, Governor Tom Wolf joined Democratic members of the House and Senate, including House Democratic Leader Joanna McClinton, in Philadelphia to again call for a raise in Pennsylvania’s minimum wage. Without regard for the economic consequences of this proposal, Gov. Wolf has repeatedly called for the state’s minimum wage to be raised to $15 per hour after an initial increase to $12. The governor and advocates have also proposed eliminating the tipped credit system used primarily by the restaurant industry, which would force these small businesses to increase labor costs by 425 percent as they continue struggling to recover from the pandemic. Carla Sands Announces Run for Pennsylvania Senate Seat President Trump’s former ambassador to Denmark announced last week that she was joining the crowded primary field vying for the state’s Republican nomination to the U.S. Senate. Carla Sands is a Pennsylvania native and CEO of Vintage Capital Group. The primary election will be held in May 2022. New Law Gives Telecom Companies Competitive Advantage in PA According to reporting in the Pennsylvania Capital-Star, legislation that passed in late June could be a boon for the competitiveness of Pennsylvania’s telecom market. Municipal permitting for 5G infrastructure — formerly a process that could play out over many months — is now limited by statute to 60 or 90 days before being granted automatic approval. Commerce Department adds 34 Chinese Companies to ‘Entity List’ for Xinjiang, Trade, Military Abuses On Friday, the Biden Administration added 34 additional companies, 14 headquartered in the People’s Republic of China, to the U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security’s ‘Entity List’ for activities “contrary to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States.” Among the reasons for the listings were support for actions that aided the PRC government’s oppression of minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, trading with Iran in violation of existing U.S. regulations, and supporting China’s military modernization programs. Maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the list restricts trade practices on goods listed on the U.S. Government’s Export Administration Regulations.