WINDSOR, Ontario (WXYZ) — Canadian goods imported into the U.S. will face a blanket 35% tariff starting next month, President Donald Trump said Thursday in an announcement that came in the midst of active trade negotiations between the two countries.
"Here we go again" is the general feeling among people in Windsor, Ontario, about the recent tariffs announcement. They're already feeling the economic pinch and believe Americans will soon feel it too.
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Windsor resident Chris Conzad expressed frustration about the constant changes in trade policy.
"Obviously, not happy about it. Things get changed so many times you never know what to expect," Conzad said.
Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens explained what products the tariff would affect.
"Think of what may come from overseas that may receive some rework here or some extra additional work before they're sold in the United States. The portion of goods that have outside manufacturers or components would apply to that percentage of the United States," Dilkens said.
The additional costs will likely be passed on to American consumers.
Daniel Desjardins, who works in manufacturing, says the back-and-forth threat of trade wars creates a dizzying business environment.
"Just keeping up with our customers in Mexico, the United States, Canada, seems like the tariffs are changing and that the policy are changing so quickly. It's very hard to even keep track of exactly what's up to date. It's always a constant announcement, a redaction," Desjardins said.
All of this is causing significant economic uncertainty in Windsor, which now has the highest unemployment rate in Canada.
"I know a lot of buddies in workshops and stuff that got laid off and had to find different work in different places. They're doing landscaping jobs in the meantime because a lot of places aren't hiring because they can't take contracts over the border," Mike Wilkinson, a Windsor resident, said.
"Our jobs help fund the restaurants and if people are laid off, they're not going to be able to spend money in the rest of the community," Conzad said.
Dilkens warned that the economic pain won't stay confined to the Canadian side of the border.
"You may see 11.2% unemployment in the city of Windsor today — it's coming for you. We're just getting hit first. We're getting hit the hardest as a border community. Guess what: the next stop is Detroit, the next stop is Hamtramck, the next stop is another community of metro Detroit if these issues aren't resolved," Dilkens said.
The president says the tariffs are payback for fentanyl coming into the U.S. from Canada. However, data shows that 43 pounds of fentanyl was seized at the northern border in 2024, while 21,000 pounds of fentanyl was seized at the southwest border during the same period.
"I know that Americans are smart. They know that Canada is not the source of widespread fentanyl distribution in the United States. They know that's crossing at their Southern border just as they saw millions of people crossing illegally from Mexico in the United States," Dilkens said.
Related video: President Trump's tariff limbo is frustrating businesses
Despite the current tensions, the mayor remains optimistic about the long-term relationship between the neighboring countries.
"We were friends for a long time before this happened, we will be friends after this. But we gotta get through this moment that allow us in both countries to succeed and prosper," Dilkens said.
The tariffs are set to go into effect Aug. 1.
