For Simpsons fans: Hi, I'm Troy McClure! You may remember me
from such articles as COVID-19 Impacts: Scary But True, and Supply
Chain Meltdown and HyperInflation: Not Your Friend in recent
years.
Well now we are back to the same issues, dressed up in a
different cause. With the Trump tirade of instituting a 25% tariff
on all Canadian goods and the Canadian government's retaliatory
steps in matching those tariffs dollar for dollar, where does that
leave Ottawa's construction industry?
Material costs and supply chains
As you well know, the construction industry relies heavily on
commodities like steel, copper, aluminum and lumber – all of
which are vulnerable to tariffs. A 25% tariff on Canadian goods
entering the U.S. could make Canadian products less competitive
internationally, while Canadian producers may pass on these costs
to domestic buyers. Retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports could
similarly increase prices for materials and equipment sourced from
the
