The Canadian government has modified its list of counter-tariffs by removing seafood and fish products and replacing them with copper wire and charcoal in order to maintain equivalent retaliatory measures against the United States. Finance Canada announced the removal of seafood items late Wednesday evening, citing industry feedback as the basis for this decision. The government stated that it continuously collaborates with Canadian sectors to evaluate the impact of these measures, particularly focusing on industries affected by U.S. tariffs.
In response to the recent tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Ottawa unveiled its initial actions on Tuesday, including doubling duties on American steel and aluminum products to 50 percent and imposing a 25 percent tariff on various seafood items. Additionally, a Ministry of Finance spokesperson confirmed the inclusion of copper wire, charcoal, plaster sheets, tiles, and printed photographs on the revised tariff list. These newly added items will be subject to a 50 percent tariff when the countermeasures take effect on September 8.
Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne emphasized that the decision to remove U.S. seafood from the counter-tariff list was made in Canada’s best interests after listening to Canadians. When asked about the implications of this change on the White House, Champagne reiterated that the update was deemed necessary for the benefit of Canada.
