Small Business Week this October 20-26 – We want your input!

As we plan programming for Small Business Week this October 20-26, we want to ensure it’s tailored to the needs of our dynamic small business community.

Take just 4 minutes to share what knowledge gaps you’d like to see addressed, the challenges that keep you up at night, and the resources that would make a real difference for your business. Your input will help us create meaningful, impactful programming designed to support you!

Small Business Week this October 20-26 – We want your input!

As we plan programming for Small Business Week this October 20-26, we want to ensure it’s tailored to the needs of our dynamic small business community.

Take just 4 minutes to share what knowledge gaps you’d like to see addressed, the challenges that keep you up at night, and the resources that would make a real difference for your business. Your input will help us create meaningful, impactful programming designed to support you!

In times of uncertainty, one thing remains constant: the power of community

In times of uncertainty, one thing remains constant: the power of community. Now, more than ever, a Chamber membership is a vital tool for businesses navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and staying connected.

The Chamber is more than a network; it’s a hub for collaboration, advocacy, and growth. We provide the resources, connections, and representation that local businesses need to thrive, ensuring that our region remains strong and resilient. Every dollar invested locally strengthens our economy, every partnership built fosters new possibilities, and every voice united through the Chamber drives meaningful change.

We know the current business landscape is complex, especially with evolving trade policies and economic shifts. That’s why we are committed to keeping you informed and supported, whether through advocacy efforts, business resources, or strategic connections.

If you’re already a member, thank you for being part of this community. We hope you feel supported! If you’re not, now is the time to join and ensure that your business has the support it needs today and into the future. Every day we are building a stronger business community.

In times of uncertainty, one thing remains constant: the power of community

In times of uncertainty, one thing remains constant: the power of community. Now, more than ever, a Chamber membership is a vital tool for businesses navigating challenges, seizing opportunities, and staying connected.

The Chamber is more than a network; it’s a hub for collaboration, advocacy, and growth. We provide the resources, connections, and representation that local businesses need to thrive, ensuring that our region remains strong and resilient. Every dollar invested locally strengthens our economy, every partnership built fosters new possibilities, and every voice united through the Chamber drives meaningful change.

We know the current business landscape is complex, especially with evolving trade policies and economic shifts. That’s why we are committed to keeping you informed and supported, whether through advocacy efforts, business resources, or strategic connections.

If you’re already a member, thank you for being part of this community. We hope you feel supported! If you’re not, now is the time to join and ensure that your business has the support it needs today and into the future. Every day we are building a stronger business community.

JOIN OUR SPECIAL OPS TASK FORCE 2025

Calling All Event Enthusiasts — Join Our Special Ops (Task Force, That Is!)

Think “Operational Task Force” sounds intense? Don’t worry — no camouflage required. Just your ideas, passion, and a knack for making great events happen.

Love the buzz of a great event? Ready to make your mark in the community? The Grimsby Chamber is forming a Special Events Operational Task Force (sounds fancy, right?) — and we want you on board!

Help us bring important events like our Golf Tournament, Small Business Week, and Business Awards to life. From creative planning sessions to seamless execution, your contributions will shape some of our biggest moments of the year. Event planning experience is great, but all it really takes is enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.

Expect plenty of collaboration, fresh ideas, and that unbeatable sense of pride when the event day arrives, knowing you were part of it.

Ready to join the mission? Sign up today and help us create moments that make a lasting impact.

No experience in covert operations required — just a love for local events and community spirit.

JOIN OUR SPECIAL OPS TASK FORCE 2025

Calling All Event Enthusiasts — Join Our Special Ops (Task Force, That Is!)

Think “Operational Task Force” sounds intense? Don’t worry — no camouflage required. Just your ideas, passion, and a knack for making great events happen.

Love the buzz of a great event? Ready to make your mark in the community? The Grimsby Chamber is forming a Special Events Operational Task Force (sounds fancy, right?) — and we want you on board!

Help us bring important events like our Golf Tournament, Small Business Week, and Business Awards to life. From creative planning sessions to seamless execution, your contributions will shape some of our biggest moments of the year. Event planning experience is great, but all it really takes is enthusiasm and a willingness to get involved.

Expect plenty of collaboration, fresh ideas, and that unbeatable sense of pride when the event day arrives, knowing you were part of it.

Ready to join the mission? Sign up today and help us create moments that make a lasting impact.

No experience in covert operations required — just a love for local events and community spirit.

Recap: Elevate|HER 2025 In Collaboration with GBF Community Services

What an absolutely incredible afternoon we had celebrating our 3rd annual Elevate|HER Women In Wellness initiative, in partnership with GBF Community Services! 💗

This initiative was developed to support and empower women in our community with a “hand up” using donations of products and services from women-led businesses and allies in our Chamber network.

We are SO PROUD to share that we received over $7,000 in donations this year to help support the women and their families!! Everyone really stepped up and we could not be more grateful. Heartfelt, sincerest thanks to all of the incredible local businesses that donated for this year’s recipients. Your contributions have made a significant and lasting impact in their lives.

Our incredible 2025 ElevateHER Sponsors!
Advantage Waste
Ag & Turf Power Services
Bioped Grimsby
Brand You Promotions
Casa Toscana
Community Living
Elipsis Day Spa
Forest of Flowers Grimsby
Greenbelt Academy
Grimsby Hyundai
Jordan’s Flowers
Kinetic Elements Dance
Lip Service Beauty
Lynn Fee Team
Maple Mindset
Mrs Greenway
One-Of-A-Kind Software
Rebecca Mullin/Desjardins
Roominate
Sapphire Spa
Shear Image
Smithville Home Hardware
Station 1 Coffeehouse
The Home Team
Train2Empower Fitness
Village Studio

Thank you to all the women who came to the luncheon as well to celebrate and support! We look forward to next year’s Elevate|HER campaign and continuing to make an impact within our community. On International Women’s Day, and every day, we celebrate the strength and resilience of women everywhere, and also recognize the powerful contributions of women-led businesses in our community 💗

If you’d like to be put on our donor list or want more info on this yearly initiative, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! info@grimsbychamber.com

Recap: Elevate|HER 2025 In Collaboration with GBF Community Services

What an absolutely incredible afternoon we had celebrating our 3rd annual Elevate|HER Women In Wellness initiative, in partnership with GBF Community Services! 💗

This initiative was developed to support and empower women in our community with a “hand up” using donations of products and services from women-led businesses and allies in our Chamber network.

We are SO PROUD to share that we received over $7,000 in donations this year to help support the women and their families!! Everyone really stepped up and we could not be more grateful. Heartfelt, sincerest thanks to all of the incredible local businesses that donated for this year’s recipients. Your contributions have made a significant and lasting impact in their lives.

Our incredible 2025 ElevateHER Sponsors!
Advantage Waste
Ag & Turf Power Services
Bioped Grimsby
Brand You Promotions
Casa Toscana
Community Living
Elipsis Day Spa
Forest of Flowers Grimsby
Greenbelt Academy
Grimsby Hyundai
Jordan’s Flowers
Kinetic Elements Dance
Lip Service Beauty
Lynn Fee Team
Maple Mindset
Mrs Greenway
One-Of-A-Kind Software
Rebecca Mullin/Desjardins
Roominate
Sapphire Spa
Shear Image
Smithville Home Hardware
Station 1 Coffeehouse
The Home Team
Train2Empower Fitness
Village Studio

Thank you to all the women who came to the luncheon as well to celebrate and support! We look forward to next year’s Elevate|HER campaign and continuing to make an impact within our community. On International Women’s Day, and every day, we celebrate the strength and resilience of women everywhere, and also recognize the powerful contributions of women-led businesses in our community 💗

If you’d like to be put on our donor list or want more info on this yearly initiative, please do not hesitate to reach out to us! info@grimsbychamber.com

Niagara Chamber Partnership Associate Member Program

We are proud members of the Niagara Chamber Partnership and are thrilled to offer the Associate Membership program to our business community. Check out opportunities from other Niagara Chamber Partnership organizations below:

Greater Fort Erie Chamber
Lincoln Chamber
Niagara Board of Trade & Commerce (NBOTAC)
Niagara Falls Chamber
Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber
Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber
Welland/Pelham Chamber
West Lincoln Chamber

Click HERE for more information about the many benefits of accessing the Associate Membership program. 

Niagara Chamber Partnership Associate Member Program

We are proud members of the Niagara Chamber Partnership and are thrilled to offer the Associate Membership program to our business community. Check out opportunities from other Niagara Chamber Partnership organizations below:

Greater Fort Erie Chamber
Lincoln Chamber
Niagara Board of Trade & Commerce (NBOTAC)
Niagara Falls Chamber
Niagara-on-the-Lake Chamber
Port Colborne-Wainfleet Chamber
Welland/Pelham Chamber
West Lincoln Chamber

Click HERE for more information about the many benefits of accessing the Associate Membership program. 

Happy International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate, reflect, and take action. It’s a day to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while acknowledging the work still needed to achieve true gender equality.

This year’s theme, #accelerateaction, is a call to move beyond conversation and drive real change. When we advocate, support, and empower women, we create a more inclusive and equitable world – one where all women can thrive.

💜 Let’s celebrate the women who break barriers and inspire change.
💜 Let’s honour the mothers, sisters, friends, and leaders who shape our lives.
💜 Let’s commit to supporting and uplifting the next generation of women leaders.

Progress happens when we come together, speak up, and take meaningful steps forward. Today, and every day, let’s work to #accelerateaction and create lasting change for women everywhere.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the strong, resilient, and inspiring women in our amazing community!

Happy International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day is a time to celebrate, reflect, and take action. It’s a day to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women while acknowledging the work still needed to achieve true gender equality.

This year’s theme, #accelerateaction, is a call to move beyond conversation and drive real change. When we advocate, support, and empower women, we create a more inclusive and equitable world – one where all women can thrive.

💜 Let’s celebrate the women who break barriers and inspire change.
💜 Let’s honour the mothers, sisters, friends, and leaders who shape our lives.
💜 Let’s commit to supporting and uplifting the next generation of women leaders.

Progress happens when we come together, speak up, and take meaningful steps forward. Today, and every day, let’s work to #accelerateaction and create lasting change for women everywhere.

Happy International Women’s Day to all the strong, resilient, and inspiring women in our amazing community!

State of the Region with Chair Bradley – Wed, Mar. 26, 2025

The State of the Region event with Chair Bradley is a premier gathering of Niagara’s influential business leaders, community members, and elected officials, offering a unique opportunity to network with the region’s key decision-makers.

This event will feature Chair Bradley’s comprehensive overview of the current economic conditions, along with insights into key initiatives and projects aimed at fostering growth and development. Attendees will have the chance to engage in meaningful discussions on the region’s future, sharing ideas on how to strategically position Niagara for continued success.

The State of the Region event is a dynamic and informative gathering, highlighting the region’s strengths, and fostering collaboration to shape a prosperous future.

RSVP YOUR SPOT TODAY

State of the Region with Chair Bradley – Wed, Mar. 26, 2025

The State of the Region event with Chair Bradley is a premier gathering of Niagara’s influential business leaders, community members, and elected officials, offering a unique opportunity to network with the region’s key decision-makers.

This event will feature Chair Bradley’s comprehensive overview of the current economic conditions, along with insights into key initiatives and projects aimed at fostering growth and development. Attendees will have the chance to engage in meaningful discussions on the region’s future, sharing ideas on how to strategically position Niagara for continued success.

The State of the Region event is a dynamic and informative gathering, highlighting the region’s strengths, and fostering collaboration to shape a prosperous future.

RSVP YOUR SPOT TODAY

WEST NIAGARA JOB & CAREER EXPO: Where Local Talent Meets Opportunity

Be part of West Niagara’s largest job event! Join employers across Beamsville, Grimsby,
Smithville and surrounding areas. Empower your workforce – Connect with hundreds of local and skilled candidates.

Contact mailto:jobfair@employmenthelp.org to reserve your spot!

OCC update on Tariffs and Retaliatory Measures

It is widely expected that U.S. tariffs against Canada could come into effect in the coming days. Although the President gave a series of seemingly contradictory answers on Wednesday about his tariff plans, the President has today clarified via a Truth Social post that the proposed tariffs against Canada and Mexico will take effect on March 4 as planned.

At this moment, it remains unclear whether a negotiated settlement will be reached that forestalls the March 4 tariffs. As it now appears likely that there will be U.S. tariffs placed against Canada in the near future, businesses should take the necessary steps to prepare for potentially disruptive U.S. trade measures as well as retaliatory measures by Canada.

To support your preparations for these coming measures, please see below updates on 1) key upcoming U.S. tariffs measures, 2) the Canadian federal government’s plans for retaliation, and 3) recent Chamber initiatives responding to the threat of tariffs.

As always, we remain very interested in your feedback on the U.S. tariff measures, as well as any concerns you might have regarding Canada’s retaliatory measures. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments that you would like to share. You can also provide your feedback via the Grimsby & District Chamber of Commerce Member Survey on U.S. Tariffs survey here.

1) U.S. tariff updates

  1. Across-the-board tariffs (25%) & energy tariff (10%) – likely taking effect on March 4. President Trump confirmed on Monday that tariff plans would be moving forward on schedule. It was widely reported on Monday that the President was here referring to the 25% tariffs on Canadian goods & 10% tariffs on Canadian energy, which were delayed until March 4 pending a “final economic deal” after Canada agreed to introduce new security measures related to the border. However, the White House has clarified that the President was referring to the reciprocal tariffs, which are separate. Whether the 25% tariffs on Canadian goods & 10% tariffs on Canadian energy will take effect on March 4 is reportedly “pending negotiations” according to the White House, although the President has indicated via Truth Social on February 27 that they will be coming into effect as scheduled. We are engaging our partners in the U.S. as well as the government to gather the latest intel on this.
    1. See the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab’s analysis of the economic implications of a 25% across-the-board import tariff: What the Return of the “Tariff Man” Means for the Canadian and U.S. Economies – Business Data Lab
  1. Steel and aluminum tariffs (25%) – taking effect on March 12. On February 10, President Trump “restored” Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum that the U.S. had imposed in 2018, raising the aluminum tariff rate to 25% to match the steel tariff rate. According to the President, the tariffs will go into effect on March 12. The U.S. Federal register notices for tariffs on steel and aluminum have now also been published. These include extended lists of targeted derivative products. Notably, the scope products covered is substantially larger than the scope of products covered in the steel and aluminum tariffs from 2018. Even if your exports were not impacted by U.S. tariffs in 2018, it is important to verify whether your businesses might be impacted by the latest tariffs by checking the tariff codes in the federal register notices. Many downstream products likely will be impacted (e.g. auto parts, furniture, gym equipment, etc.)
  1. Reciprocal tariffs – taking effect after April 1. On February 13, the President issued a Presidential memo calling for reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners. The stated objective of this policy is to counter “non-reciprocal trading arrangements” that the U.S. views as unfair to its commercial interests. Unfair trading arrangements are here defined very broadly, and the accompanying White House fact sheet specifically identifies Canada’s digital services tax (DST), and value added taxes (VATs) as issues warranting action. The memo does not set out a specific time frame for new tariffs, only that there should be investigations into non-reciprocal arrangements starting as early as April 1.
    1. The European Commission has published a helpful Q&A regarding the U.S. reciprocal tariff policy. Finance Canada is looking into sharing similar guidance.
  1. Potential tariffs on autos, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors (around 25%). On February 18, President Trump said at a press conference that he intends to impose auto tariffs “in the neighborhood of 25%” and similar duties on semiconductors and pharmaceutical imports. According to the President, the tariffs on autos could take effect as early as April 2, whereas he did not provide dates for other tariffs.

2) Canada’s retaliatory measures & tariff remissions

On February 1, in response to the initial U.S. tariffs targeting Canada, the Canadian Federal government announced its plans to implement a multi phase retaliatory tariff plan. This plan was paused on February 3 following the U.S. tariffs being delayed until March 4. It will be important to become familiar with the Canadian government’s February 1 retaliatory tariff plan as these measures very likely will be applicable in the event of U.S. tariffs coming into effect next week. The government has also indicated that it may adopt additional non-tariff retaliatory measures, including measures affecting critical minerals, energy, procurement and “other partnerships.”

  • Retaliatory tariff plan. The first phase of the tariff response plan announced on February 1 included tariffs on $30 billion in goods imported from the U.S. This list can be viewed here, and includes products such as orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and pulp and paper. The second phase of the plan includes tariffs on an additional list of imported U.S. goods worth $125 billion. A full list of these goods will be made available for a 21-day public comment period prior to implementation and will include products such as passenger vehicles and trucks, including electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, certain fruits and vegetables, aerospace products, beef, pork, dairy, trucks and buses, recreational vehicles, and recreational boats.
    • For more details regarding the mechanism for the implementation of retaliatory tariffs, please review the Customs Notice regarding Canada’s initial set of retaliatory tariffs issued on February 1.
  • Tariff remission. Finance Canada outlined a discretionary remission process for Canadian importers that might have been impacted by Canada’s retaliatory tariffs. The webpage for the remissions process has since been taken down but likely will be re-established soon. The remission process applies to the first round of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs and any subsequent rounds. The Canadian government is considering requests for remission in these two instances: 1) Situations where goods used as inputs cannot be sourced domestically, either on a national or regional basis, or reasonably from non-U.S. sources; and 2) To address, on a case-by-case basis, other exceptional circumstances that could have severe adverse impacts on the Canadian economy. In granting a remission order, the Government of Canada will weigh public policy reasons in the factual circumstances against the policy rationale of the retaliatory tariffs. Questions regarding remission requests can be shared directly with Finance Canada at fin.remissions-remises.fin@canada.ca.
  • Private sector feedback on Canada’s retaliatory measures. Finance Canada is planning to hold a consultation on the broader list of retaliatory tariffs. However, they are also interested in hearing concerns from businesses now, in advance of the formal consultation. They may use any early feedback they receive to tweak their lists and measures. If there are any concerns that you have regarding the impacts of Canada’s retaliatory measures on your business that you would like the government to be aware of, please share with us at your earliest convenience.

3) Recent Canadian Chamber initiatives in response to tariffs

  • Washington D.C. Manufacturing & Supply Chains Mission – March 5-7, 2025: A strategic mission bringing together Canadia-US industry leaders to strengthen supply chain resilience and advocate for Canadian manufacturing interests in the face of evolving trade realities. View the agenda here.
  • All-in Canada Plan. The Canadian Chamber has published a multipartisan All-In Canada Plan that addresses the critical roadblocks that have until now left us dependent on trade with the United States. Among other priorities, such as internal trade barriers, the plan calls for the government to reconvene Parliament so that all parties can get back to work on behalf of Canadians at this critical time.
  • Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker. The Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab has developed a Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker that delivers real-time data and actionable insights, equipping businesses and policymakers to defend and strengthen North America’s most important trade partnership
  • U.S. Tariff Exposure Index. The Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab has developed a U.S. Tariff Exposure Index that determines the U.S. tariff risk level of the 41 largest cities in Canada, reflecting both a city’s U.S. export intensity and its dependence on the U.S. as a key export destination. Users can interact with the Index to quickly find relevant information for each of Canada’s 41 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with populations over 100,000, including local GDP, population figures, trade values, and the number of companies in the city that export to the U.S. 

OCC update on Tariffs and Retaliatory Measures

It is widely expected that U.S. tariffs against Canada could come into effect in the coming days. Although the President gave a series of seemingly contradictory answers on Wednesday about his tariff plans, the President has today clarified via a Truth Social post that the proposed tariffs against Canada and Mexico will take effect on March 4 as planned.

At this moment, it remains unclear whether a negotiated settlement will be reached that forestalls the March 4 tariffs. As it now appears likely that there will be U.S. tariffs placed against Canada in the near future, businesses should take the necessary steps to prepare for potentially disruptive U.S. trade measures as well as retaliatory measures by Canada.

To support your preparations for these coming measures, please see below updates on 1) key upcoming U.S. tariffs measures, 2) the Canadian federal government’s plans for retaliation, and 3) recent Chamber initiatives responding to the threat of tariffs.

As always, we remain very interested in your feedback on the U.S. tariff measures, as well as any concerns you might have regarding Canada’s retaliatory measures. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or comments that you would like to share. You can also provide your feedback via the Grimsby & District Chamber of Commerce Member Survey on U.S. Tariffs survey here.

1) U.S. tariff updates

  1. Across-the-board tariffs (25%) & energy tariff (10%) – likely taking effect on March 4. President Trump confirmed on Monday that tariff plans would be moving forward on schedule. It was widely reported on Monday that the President was here referring to the 25% tariffs on Canadian goods & 10% tariffs on Canadian energy, which were delayed until March 4 pending a “final economic deal” after Canada agreed to introduce new security measures related to the border. However, the White House has clarified that the President was referring to the reciprocal tariffs, which are separate. Whether the 25% tariffs on Canadian goods & 10% tariffs on Canadian energy will take effect on March 4 is reportedly “pending negotiations” according to the White House, although the President has indicated via Truth Social on February 27 that they will be coming into effect as scheduled. We are engaging our partners in the U.S. as well as the government to gather the latest intel on this.
    1. See the Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab’s analysis of the economic implications of a 25% across-the-board import tariff: What the Return of the “Tariff Man” Means for the Canadian and U.S. Economies – Business Data Lab
  1. Steel and aluminum tariffs (25%) – taking effect on March 12. On February 10, President Trump “restored” Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum that the U.S. had imposed in 2018, raising the aluminum tariff rate to 25% to match the steel tariff rate. According to the President, the tariffs will go into effect on March 12. The U.S. Federal register notices for tariffs on steel and aluminum have now also been published. These include extended lists of targeted derivative products. Notably, the scope products covered is substantially larger than the scope of products covered in the steel and aluminum tariffs from 2018. Even if your exports were not impacted by U.S. tariffs in 2018, it is important to verify whether your businesses might be impacted by the latest tariffs by checking the tariff codes in the federal register notices. Many downstream products likely will be impacted (e.g. auto parts, furniture, gym equipment, etc.)
  1. Reciprocal tariffs – taking effect after April 1. On February 13, the President issued a Presidential memo calling for reciprocal tariffs on all U.S. trading partners. The stated objective of this policy is to counter “non-reciprocal trading arrangements” that the U.S. views as unfair to its commercial interests. Unfair trading arrangements are here defined very broadly, and the accompanying White House fact sheet specifically identifies Canada’s digital services tax (DST), and value added taxes (VATs) as issues warranting action. The memo does not set out a specific time frame for new tariffs, only that there should be investigations into non-reciprocal arrangements starting as early as April 1.
    1. The European Commission has published a helpful Q&A regarding the U.S. reciprocal tariff policy. Finance Canada is looking into sharing similar guidance.
  1. Potential tariffs on autos, pharmaceuticals, and semiconductors (around 25%). On February 18, President Trump said at a press conference that he intends to impose auto tariffs “in the neighborhood of 25%” and similar duties on semiconductors and pharmaceutical imports. According to the President, the tariffs on autos could take effect as early as April 2, whereas he did not provide dates for other tariffs.

2) Canada’s retaliatory measures & tariff remissions

On February 1, in response to the initial U.S. tariffs targeting Canada, the Canadian Federal government announced its plans to implement a multi phase retaliatory tariff plan. This plan was paused on February 3 following the U.S. tariffs being delayed until March 4. It will be important to become familiar with the Canadian government’s February 1 retaliatory tariff plan as these measures very likely will be applicable in the event of U.S. tariffs coming into effect next week. The government has also indicated that it may adopt additional non-tariff retaliatory measures, including measures affecting critical minerals, energy, procurement and “other partnerships.”

  • Retaliatory tariff plan. The first phase of the tariff response plan announced on February 1 included tariffs on $30 billion in goods imported from the U.S. This list can be viewed here, and includes products such as orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and pulp and paper. The second phase of the plan includes tariffs on an additional list of imported U.S. goods worth $125 billion. A full list of these goods will be made available for a 21-day public comment period prior to implementation and will include products such as passenger vehicles and trucks, including electric vehicles, steel and aluminum products, certain fruits and vegetables, aerospace products, beef, pork, dairy, trucks and buses, recreational vehicles, and recreational boats.
    • For more details regarding the mechanism for the implementation of retaliatory tariffs, please review the Customs Notice regarding Canada’s initial set of retaliatory tariffs issued on February 1.
  • Tariff remission. Finance Canada outlined a discretionary remission process for Canadian importers that might have been impacted by Canada’s retaliatory tariffs. The webpage for the remissions process has since been taken down but likely will be re-established soon. The remission process applies to the first round of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs and any subsequent rounds. The Canadian government is considering requests for remission in these two instances: 1) Situations where goods used as inputs cannot be sourced domestically, either on a national or regional basis, or reasonably from non-U.S. sources; and 2) To address, on a case-by-case basis, other exceptional circumstances that could have severe adverse impacts on the Canadian economy. In granting a remission order, the Government of Canada will weigh public policy reasons in the factual circumstances against the policy rationale of the retaliatory tariffs. Questions regarding remission requests can be shared directly with Finance Canada at fin.remissions-remises.fin@canada.ca.
  • Private sector feedback on Canada’s retaliatory measures. Finance Canada is planning to hold a consultation on the broader list of retaliatory tariffs. However, they are also interested in hearing concerns from businesses now, in advance of the formal consultation. They may use any early feedback they receive to tweak their lists and measures. If there are any concerns that you have regarding the impacts of Canada’s retaliatory measures on your business that you would like the government to be aware of, please share with us at your earliest convenience.

3) Recent Canadian Chamber initiatives in response to tariffs

  • Washington D.C. Manufacturing & Supply Chains Mission – March 5-7, 2025: A strategic mission bringing together Canadia-US industry leaders to strengthen supply chain resilience and advocate for Canadian manufacturing interests in the face of evolving trade realities. View the agenda here.
  • All-in Canada Plan. The Canadian Chamber has published a multipartisan All-In Canada Plan that addresses the critical roadblocks that have until now left us dependent on trade with the United States. Among other priorities, such as internal trade barriers, the plan calls for the government to reconvene Parliament so that all parties can get back to work on behalf of Canadians at this critical time.
  • Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker. The Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab has developed a Canada-U.S. Trade Tracker that delivers real-time data and actionable insights, equipping businesses and policymakers to defend and strengthen North America’s most important trade partnership
  • U.S. Tariff Exposure Index. The Canadian Chamber’s Business Data Lab has developed a U.S. Tariff Exposure Index that determines the U.S. tariff risk level of the 41 largest cities in Canada, reflecting both a city’s U.S. export intensity and its dependence on the U.S. as a key export destination. Users can interact with the Index to quickly find relevant information for each of Canada’s 41 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with populations over 100,000, including local GDP, population figures, trade values, and the number of companies in the city that export to the U.S. 

Chamber Benefits That Support You & Your Business

Elavon’s March & April Promotion

Limited-Time Promotion: $200 Statement Credit for all new members
Promotion Period: March 1st ~ April 30th , 2025.
Throughout the month of March and April, any new member who signs up through our Chamber Referral Program will receive $200 statement credit!

This exclusive offer is available for a limited time, and we want to ensure that your members are among the first to take advantage.

Chamber’s Plan – one of our most popular benefits!

Are you interested in affordable Group Insurance Benefits that won’t break the bank? ⁠Call Jeremy at Garrett Group 905-468-8575 to get a quote on group benefits through the Chambers of Commerce Employee Benefits Program. ⁠Click here to find out more!⁠

HR Covered

We are excited and pleased to announce a new member benefit program with HR Covered, arranged by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. All Grimsby & District Chamber Members now have access to several offerings from HR Covered at no charge. Click here to find out more.

Chamber Benefits That Support You & Your Business

Elavon’s March & April Promotion

Limited-Time Promotion: $200 Statement Credit for all new members
Promotion Period: March 1st ~ April 30th , 2025.
Throughout the month of March and April, any new member who signs up through our Chamber Referral Program will receive $200 statement credit!

This exclusive offer is available for a limited time, and we want to ensure that your members are among the first to take advantage.

Chamber’s Plan – one of our most popular benefits!

Are you interested in affordable Group Insurance Benefits that won’t break the bank? ⁠Call Jeremy at Garrett Group 905-468-8575 to get a quote on group benefits through the Chambers of Commerce Employee Benefits Program. ⁠Click here to find out more!⁠

HR Covered

We are excited and pleased to announce a new member benefit program with HR Covered, arranged by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. All Grimsby & District Chamber Members now have access to several offerings from HR Covered at no charge. Click here to find out more.

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