Canada Fires Back: 50% Tariffs Start September 8

Canada went from naming targets to pulling the trigger. Ottawa announced retaliatory tariffs on American goods Tuesday, mirroring the Trump administration's new 50% levies on Canadian products.

Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne put the package at $27.6 billion in U.S. imports, with counter-tariffs of 15%, 25% and 50% taking effect September 8. Semafor reported the plan covers $20 billion of U.S. goods.

Ottawa also announced $7.5 billion in support for Canadian workers and businesses hit by the U.S. tariffs.

"It's all about fairness," is how Canadian officials framed the move, according to The National Desk.

What Gets Hit

The target list runs across the American economy: steel, dairy, appliances, farm equipment and electronics. CTV News reported Canadians could soon pay more for everything from fish to smartphones to cosmetics, with items on the list facing 50% duties.

The Wall Street Journal reported the levies take aim at big industries such as aluminum and steel, plus smaller ones located in states with closely watched elections.

The scope is narrower than the rhetoric. Because Canada chose "dollar-for-dollar" matching, the counter-tariffs cover about 6% of U.S. exports to Canada last year, Legal Insurrection noted. Trade experts told CBS News that with each country's tariffs covering roughly 5–6% of bilateral exports, immediate economy-wide disruption is limited.