Latest news with #Canada-US
Economic Times
3 days ago
- Economic Times
CBSA system outage delays shipments at Canada-US border
TIL Creatives A system outage at the Canada Border Services Agency is causing significant delays at the Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit, disrupting commercial shipments and affecting travelers The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is experiencing a partial system outage that is causing significant delays at the Canada-US border crossing between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, the agency confirmed Friday(July 25).The outage is affecting CBSA's digital document exchange system, which is responsible for processing commercial shipments at the Ambassador Bridge, one of North America's busiest border crossings. 'We are working closely with partners to resolve this issue as soon as possible,' a CBSA spokesperson said in an email to CNN. The disruption was first reported by Cross Border Pickups, a shipping company that issued a notice to its customers on Friday afternoon, warning of potential delays in packages entering Canada from the United States. 'There's currently a CBSA system outage affecting shipments crossing into Canada,' the company stated. 'If you had packages manifested since July 23, they may be delayed at the border until services are fully restored.'In addition to commercial traffic, CBSA said it is also managing a high volume of travelers, as many Canadians return from summer vacations, leading to further congestion at the Ambassador Bridge handles more than 10,000 trucks per day and accounts for roughly 25 percent of trade between Canada and the United States, making any disruption at the crossing highly impactful to both commercial logistics and border is the third significant technical disruption the CBSA has faced in 2025. In June, a nationwide outage affected airport kiosks, including at Toronto Pearson International Airport. A similar outage in February caused several of CBSA's digital tools to go offline continues to operate under its System Outage Contingency Plan, allowing for manual processing of shipments and paper documentation. There is currently no official timeline for full restoration of services. Travelers and shipping companies are advised to anticipate delays and monitor official updates from CBSA. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. Can Chyawanprash save Dabur in the age of Shark-Tank startups? Piaggio sues former employee for 'Coldplay' reference on CEO Why Air India could loom large on its biggest rival IndiGo's Q1 results Can medicines inject the vitamins Amazon is missing? How India's oil arbitrage has hit the European sanctions wall Stock Radar: Bajaj Finance breaks out from falling supply trendline; likely to hit fresh highs above Rs 1,000 Weekly Top Picks: These stocks scored 10 on 10 on Stock Reports Plus These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 25% return in 1 year, according to analysts For investors with patience & cash: 6 large-caps with strong balance sheets & big TAM; and an upside potential of more than 24%
National Observer
4 days ago
- Business
- National Observer
LeBlanc says he's 'encouraged' after meeting with Lutnick, lawmakers ahead of tariff deadline
Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Thursday he's feeling "encouraged" after meeting with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and American lawmakers in Washington ahead of next week's tariff deadline. But LeBlanc also suggested that a new economic and security arrangement with the United States may not materialize in time for US President Donald Trump's latest deadline of Aug. 1. "Canadians expect us to take the time necessary to get the best deal we can in the interest of Canadian workers," LeBlanc said outside the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington. "So we are only going to be in a position to accept a deal when the prime minister decides that it is the best deal we can get in the interest of Canadian workers and the Canadian economy." Trump has sent letters to multiple nations, including Canada, saying that if no deal is made by Aug. 1, he will impose high tariffs on imports to the United States. While Trump's letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney threatened Canada with 35 per cent tariffs, the White House has said the levies will not be applied to imports that comply with the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement on trade. Canada is also being hit with Trump's tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles, and will be affected by copper duties that are also expected to kick in on Aug. 1. The Trump administration has announced only a handful of trade deal frameworks with other nations since the president first threatened his so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs in April. Trump this week said his administration made deals with Japan and the Philippines, adding to previous agreements with Indonesia, Vietnam and the United Kingdom. While many details of the frameworks remain vague, all of them include some level of tariff - and it's not clear whether they would shield countries from Trump's plan to impose further sectoral duties on things like semiconductors and lumber. LeBlanc said "complex negotiations" are continuing between Canada and the United States and he will be returning to Washington next week. He described his meeting with Lutnick as productive and cordial. LeBlanc, who was joined in the meetings by Canadian Ambassador to the US Kirsten Hillman, also had face time with Republican senators Kevin Cramer, Roger Marshall, Shelley Moore Capito, Todd Young and Tim Scott. LeBlanc said they discussed border security and defence issues and the American lawmakers shared a "desire to see more stability and predictability in the relationship with the United States." "My conversations have focused on how we share so many priorities of President Trump's administration that we should be able to figure out together a deal that's in the best interest of Canadian workers, and obviously they are going to do their side of the table in terms of the American economy and American workers," he said. Federal officials have remained tight-lipped about what Trump's team has said it wants from Canada. After this week's trade deal frameworks were announced, Trump boasted on social media that he would only consider lowering tariff rates if countries open their markets to the United States. The president also said Japan would invest $550 billion in the US at his "direction." Trump said Thursday that Japan "bought it down basically," referring to the lower tariff rate. "I would let other countries buy it down," he said. When Trump first threatened Canada with tariffs, he claimed it was due to the cross-border flow of deadly fentanyl. Ottawa responded with a boosted border plan and named a "fentanyl czar." Ottawa walked back its digital services tax last month after Trump threatened to halt all trade talks. Carney last week announced measures to stop China from dumping steel in Canada. Hillman said those efforts help Canada in its ongoing negotiations. "In our discussion with the American senators this week, the American administration, the measures that Canada has taken on steel in particular... are some of the strongest in the world," she said. "And that has been recognized and very much appreciated. So we are making some positive progress." Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski joined a bipartisan group of American lawmakers in Ottawa last week. The Republican said Thursday that "we would all like to get to a better place with our trade relationship with Canada" but suggested it's not likely to happen before Aug. 1. Canada cannot be treated "as yet one more country that we need to reconcile tariffs on" because of shared economic and national security issues, she said. "I wish that I could say, 'It feels good,' that this is all going to be taken care of before the first of August, but I'm not sensing that," she said.
National Observer
4 days ago
- Automotive
- National Observer
Ottawa warned early in new year of wheels wobbling on $100 billion EV strategy
The federal government was warned early in 2025 that its $100 billion electric vehicle strategy was in danger of being run off the road by slowing North American EV sales and the economic mayhem sown by US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canada, a newly released document reveals. François-Philippe Champagne, then federal minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, was sent a briefing note on Jan. 10 by his deputy minister, Philip Jennings, that flagged 'a decline in expectations' among EV makers that imperiled the plan's progress. 'The slowdown in growth has contributed to delays, modifications, or scaling back of planned investments' in the auto sector despite tens of billions of dollars in investments having already been announced, Jennings said in the document obtained by Canada's National Observer through an access to information and privacy request. The briefing note was delivered to Champagne only weeks after he told CNO that critics of the government's embattled EV strategy lacked 'vision and ambition.' Champagne was named Minister of National Revenue in a cabinet shuffle after the Liberals won the April federal election that also saw Mélanie Joly take over the Industry, Science and Economic Development portfolio. Developing an EV industrial ecosystem from mining critical minerals used in vehicle batteries to new assembly lines for electric vehicles would give Canada a competitive advantage in a global industry 'for decades to come — but not overnight,' Champagne said in December. Joly's office told Canada's National Observer that it 'recognizes the sector's concerns and is continuing to engage meaningfully with industry stakeholders to address and alleviate challenges' linked to US tariffs, though no specific action plan was outlined in its response. 'Despite short-term policy fluctuations, the long-term trajectory for EV adoption remains strong,' says Dunsky Energy analyst Lindsay Wiginton 'Our government is working to ensure EVs are made in Canada, so Canadian workers benefit from the growth and jobs in this industry," said a spokesperson. Canada's EV plans going flat? A total of $46.1 billion in investments across the Canadian EV supply chain was announced by automakers including Honda, Volkswagen, GM and Ford from October 2021 to April last year. Federal and provincial governments pledged $52.5 billion in incentives, tax breaks and other support, according to Canada's Parliamentary Budget Officer, which provides economic analysis to the government. But dark skies have threatened the EV strategy and long-term future of auto manufacturing in Ontario as the Canada-US trade war drags on. In April, GM shuttered its CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ont., where it builds an electric delivery van. GM expected to reopen the plant at 'half capacity' in the fall. Ford and Stellantis, which cited tariffs as a major factor in a $3.7 billion loss in the first half of 2025, have also suspended or delayed EV production in Canada. Some 40,000 EVs have been produced to-date in Canada, which in 2024 imposed a 100 per cent tariff on imports of Chinese EVs to protect the domestic industry. China made 12.4 million electric cars last year, accounting for 70 per cent of global EV output, according to the International Energy Agency. Battery makers have hit speed bumps too. A planned $7 billion EV manufacturing plant in Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville, Que, collapsed after Swedish battery maker Northvolt declared bankruptcy in March. The Quebec government lost a $270 million investment in the project. More recently, trouble emerged at the $5 billion NextStar EV battery factory being built by Stellantis and South Korea's LG Energy in Windsor, Ont. Several Canadian contractors have filed lawsuits alleging millions of dollars in unpaid work at the plant, which has received $15 billion in federal and provincial incentives, according to media reports. Jennings said in his briefing note that slowing EV purchases had 'created doubt in the trajectory of [future] sales'. Trump's executive orders soon after taking office to scrap Biden-era EV targets and tax credits, along with the end of federal EV incentives in Canada, have 'added uncertainty' in the market, the note said. 'In the long-term these impacts on their own are unlikely to jeopardize the prosperity of the automotive sector in Canada, but they depend on the electrification plans of the manufacturer and the health of the sector overall, including the impact of potential U.S. policies and tariffs,' Jennings said. EV transition 'unstoppable' The federal government should stick to its long-term plan for an EV supply chain in Canada because the global shift to EVs is 'unstoppable,' said Matthew Fortier, CEO of Accelerate, a Toronto-based zero-emissions vehicle industrial alliance. There are signs of 'underlying momentum' for Canada's EV industry, said Lindsay Wiginton, managing consultant at research house Dunsky Energy. She noted many analysts have a positive global EV outlook, including projections that a quarter of all cars sold in 2025 will be electric. That growth is 'driven in large part by the continued decline in lithium-ion battery costs that is helping to bring more affordable EV models' to market, she said. 'Despite short-term policy fluctuations, the long-term trajectory for EV adoption remains strong,' she added. Some auto makers are less optimistic. They want the federal government to drop a mandate for EVs to make up 20 per cent of cars sold in Canada by 2026 and 100 per cent by 2035 – arguing that slowing EV sales and US tariffs have delayed efforts to build an electric vehicle supply chain. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, speaking at a joint press conference on Tuesday with Alberta's Danielle Smith and Saskatchewan's Scott Moe, said: 'We have to get rid of these mandates. The companies won't be able to meet these targets. But let's not stop spending. I am confident that the EV sector will grow eventually.' Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin has been unswayed by their arguments so far, according to media reports. Canada's 'competitive advantages' Fortier said Canada's automotive sector cannot hope to be 'globally relevant in 10-15 years' unless Ottawa focuses on 'competitive advantages that our neighbours don't have' in areas including critical minerals, advanced industrial materials, and EV battery technology. 'If we do that now, Canada can become a necessary part of the continental supply chain, and we can have leverage in the auto sector when EVs are the dominant mode of vehicle production in North America,' Fortier said. The US is by far the biggest market for Canadian-made cars and trucks, with 93 per cent of the $51 billion in vehicles exported in 2023 shipped south of the border, according to the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association, an industry trade body. The US imposed a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian auto makers and parts manufacturers in April, forcing hundreds of job losses in Ontario, the industry's historic heartland. Trump has threatened to raise the tariffs to 35 per cent on Aug 1. A high-profile US-Japan trade deal announced today (Wednesday) will see the US tariff on Japan's auto sector lowered to 15 per cent from 35 per cent. That deal might point to a possible reduction in US tariffs on Canadian car makers, but it is not a long-term solution, Fortier said. 'Any standing tariff on Canadian-made cars is a reminder that we urgently need to develop more negotiating leverage. The way to do this is to build upstream and midstream capacity for the batteries that will power the future of this sector,' he said.
Mint
21-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Ontario Doubles Down on ‘Buy Canada' Message as Angry Residents Boycott US
(Bloomberg) -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford renewed a call to buy 'Canadian-made everything' to heap pressure on the US to negotiate a trade deal and lift tariffs. Ford, who leads Canada's biggest province and is hosting a meeting of premiers this week, said the country should lean into its status as America's biggest customer. Prime Minister Mark Carney will make an appearance at the conference on Tuesday for a huddle with the provincial leaders. Carney is sending Dominic LeBlanc, the minister responsible for Canada-US trade, to Washington this week to negotiate with US President Donald Trump's administration, which has threatened a 35% tariff on some Canadian goods if there's no deal by Trump's Aug. 1 deadline. But the president and his officials have sent mixed signals about whether they want to sign agreements or simply proceed with unilateral tariff rates on trading partners. 'We're encouraging all provinces and territories: start buying Canadian-made vehicles, start buying Canadian-made everything — that will hurt more than anything at all,' Ford told reporters on Monday as he arrived at Deerhurst Resort near Huntsville, a picturesque town at the heart of Ontario's Muskoka region. Canadians say they're ramping up their boycott of US travel and products in response to the tariffs, according to the Bank of Canada's quarterly survey of households released Monday. About 55% of respondents said they're spending less on vacations to US destinations, and roughly 63% said they're pulling back on purchases of American goods. 'We're their number one customer. We buy more products from the US than Japan, China, Korea, the UK and France combined. So we are an economic powerhouse and we don't have to take a back seat to anyone,' he said, adding he wants his province to begin making products such as steel beams used in construction and aluminum cans for soda and beer. Trump hiked tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum imports to 50% in June. Canada's steel industry has already cut jobs and seen shipments slashed. Carney's government announced a plan last week to curb imports of foreign steel to help domestic producers — though one influential steel executive said it doesn't go nearly far enough. Ford's government pledged C$1.3 billion ($950 million) in May to help manufacturers by beefing up a tax credit for Ontario-made products. The government says about 830,000 people in the province work in manufacturing, which represents about 10% of jobs. Canada's premiers have largely struck a united front in the face of Trump's trade war, and their summer retreat is set to be dominated by discussions on how to increase trade between the provinces and advance major infrastructure projects, such as ports, to bolster the country's economic independence. Carney and some provincial leaders appeared resigned to at least some level of tariffs on Canadian shipments to the US, despite the existing trade accord that Trump signed in his first term that largely allows tariff-free trade between the US, Mexico and Canada. The prime minister said last week there's little evidence Trump will cut a deal that completely drops tariffs. Arriving at the resort on Monday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she hopes sector-specific tariffs will be minimized as much as possible, while Quebec's Francois Legault said it's too soon to say whether it's inevitable that some tariffs remain. 'We'll see what we can get on August 1st. Of course, the ideal situation would be no tariffs,' Legault told reporters. Whatever the agreement is, he said, 'we need to have assurance that we'll keep this agreement for three, five years. We need to have an economy where the companies know what's happening in six months and 12 months from now.' More stories like this are available on
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
‘All our exports have stopped': Canadian steel industry amid US tariffs
Canada is working to protect its steel industry. New US tariffs have hurt exports and caused economic problems. Industry Minister Melanie Joly says government support is needed. The government is considering using Canadian steel in various projects. Tariffs on steel from China are also announced. Trade talks with the US remain difficult. Ottawa aims to defend Canada's interests. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The fallout has been swift Canada announces new measures Canada's federal government is stepping up efforts to shield its embattled steel sector as new US tariffs throttle exports and stoke economic Minister Mélanie Joly warned this week that without direct government support, the Canadian steel industry may not be able to survive.'Survival, and I think eventually, much more than that, the fact that they can thrive,' Joly said Thursday(July 17) on The Vassy Kapelos Show, as she outlined the urgent need for also says the government is considering broader steps, including the use of Canadian steel in shipbuilding, defence procurement, and major infrastructure projects. 'We need to support them as we're creating a much more domestic market for them,' she said. Beyond economics, Joly framed steel as a national security issue, noting Canada's commitment to meeting NATO defence spending March, the United States has imposed steep duties on Canadian steel and aluminum, starting with a 25 percent tariff that doubled to 50 percent in June under an executive order from President Donald Trump According to François Desmarais of the Canadian Steel Producers Association, steel shipments to the US have plummeted by 25 percent, with nearly 1,000 Canadian jobs lost in March alone.'Basically, all our exports to the US have stopped,' Desmarais said in a separate interview on workers like Mike Tremblay, who has spent 22 years at a Hamilton steel plant, the anxiety is growing. 'People are scared. I've got two kids in university and a mortgage. If this keeps going, I don't know what happens next,' he told CBC a bid to stabilize the sector, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced new measures Wednesday, including fresh tariffs on steel originating in China and adjusted import quotas. The move, aimed at countering foreign dumping and strengthening domestic production, was welcomed by labor United Steelworkers union called it a 'major win for workers,' citing the changes to tariff-rate quotas as key to preventing job concerns remain. 'Diversifying the domestic market is important, but it won't replace US demand,' said Desmarais, warning that global overcapacity still poses a trade talks with Washington remain tense. While Prime Minister Carney and President Trump had initially aimed to reach a new Canada-US economic agreement by July 21, that deadline has now been pushed to August 1. Trump is threatening additional tariffs of 35 percent on Canadian imports, though a White House official told CTV News these would not apply to goods compliant with the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).Pressed on whether the federal government will compromise to avoid further economic harm, Joly said Ottawa won't bargain in public. 'We will make sure that we don't negotiate in public,' she said. 'It is important that we stand strong. It is important that we defend Canada and Canadians' interests.'
