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Confused about which of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs are still hitting Canadian goods? You’ve come to the right place.
Here is a straightforward guide to the tariffs that are currently imposed on Canada’s exports to the U.S, the products that are affected, and the laws that Trump is using to pursue his trade war.
Steel and aluminum
- Rate: 50%.
- Imposed: March 12, 2025. (At 25%, then increased on June 4.)
- Authority: Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act.
Section 232 is the legislation that Trump has used to impose the bulk of his tariffs targeting specific industry sectors. The law gives the U.S. president the authority to impose tariffs to protect American industries on the basis of a threat to national security identified by a Commerce Department investigation.
Passenger vehicles, trucks, auto parts
- Rate: 25%.
- Imposed: April 3 (vehicles), May 3 (parts), Nov. 1 (trucks).
- Exemptions: Does not apply to the U.S. content of imported vehicles or to parts that comply with the terms of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
- Authority: Section 232.
Given the interconnected nature of North American auto production, Trump’s tariffs on the auto sector feature some extremely complicated rules.
Other Section 232 tariffs
- Copper (Semi-finished copper products and derivatives) — 50% (since Aug. 1).
- Upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, vanities — 25% (since Oct. 14).
- Softwood timber and lumber — 10% (since Oct. 14).
- Buses — 10% (since Nov. 1).
Other exports
- Rate: 10%.
- Imposed: Feb. 24, 2026.
- Expiry: July 24. (Unless Congress votes to extend.)
- Exemptions: Does not apply to products that comply with the terms of CUSMA, nor does it apply to products that separately face Section 232 sectoral tariffs.
- Authority: Section 122 of the Trade Act.
Section 122 says the president can impose a temporary tariff of up to 15 per cent to address what it describes “large and serious United States balance-of-payments deficits.”
No president has used this provision since the act was passed in 1974. The tariff is limited to 150 days without congressional approval.
The exemption means nearly 90 per cent of the value Canadian exports to the U.S. are not subject to this tariff.
Trump imposed these global tariffs after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down his previous regime as unconstitutional, including levies on Canada imposed ostensibly over cross-border fentanyl trafficking.
