“I’m announcing today that the Canadian government will now match, we will now match the United States by removing all of Canada’s tariffs on US goods specifically covered under CUSMA.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Friday that Canada will lift retaliatory tariffs on American products starting September 1, a move he said restores free trade on most goods covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
The decision follows the United States’ recent exemptions on Canadian exports, and Ottawa is responding by matching those actions. Carney said the government will keep tariffs in place on steel, aluminum, and automobiles while discussions with Washington continue.
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View on XCanada first imposed 25 percent tariffs in March on a wide range of US goods—including oranges, alcohol, shoes, clothing, motorcycles, and cosmetics—after Trump's trade announcement. With this latest announcement, Carney said the two countries are bringing trade for the “vast majority of goods” back into alignment.
The prime minister also confirmed that Ottawa will begin consultations next month to prepare for the scheduled CUSMA review in 2026.
Carney emphasized the importance of securing Canada’s trade position, telling reporters:
“Canada has the best trade deal with the United States," Carney claimed. "And while it's different from what we had before, it is still better than that of any other country. So as we work to address outstanding trade issues with the United States, it's important, it's vital. We do everything we can to preserve this unique advantage for Canadian workers, Canadian businesses. And doing so will require both building on a soon-to-be-revised CUSMA, our free trade agreement with the US and Mexico, as well as developing a new form of trade and security partnership with the United States.
"In this context, and consistent with Canada's commitment to CUSMA, I'm announcing today that the Canadian government will now match, we will now match the United States by removing all of Canada's tariffs on US goods specifically covered under CUSMA.”
While the move eliminates tariffs on most US consumer goods, Ottawa is keeping duties on steel, aluminum, and automobiles in place. Those sectors remain at the center of trade tensions, representing some of the most valuable exports between the two countries.
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