As Trump tariffs loom again Windsor-Essex business leaders brace for impact [Video]

Business leaders in Windsor-Essex are bracing for painful economic fallout if U.S. President Donald Trump goes through with 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods this week. 

The wide-reaching tariffs, which Trump said Monday were set to hit Canada and Mexico on Tuesday, would be particularly painful for southwestern Ontario’s large automotive, manufacturing, and agricultural industries because of their reliance on cross-border trade. 

“If this does actually come into force tomorrow globally across all goods, needless to say its going to be a challenging time in Windsor-Essex — and on the U.S. side of the border,” said Ryan Donally, head of the Windsor-Essex Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Justin Falconer, CEO at Workforce WindsorEssex, said the tariffs would have “a lasting impact” on the region, as more than 20 per cent of the local workforce works in manufacturing — which is more than twice the national average. 

“So when you look at the impacts of tariffs on a community like Windsor-Essex, it’s a lot greater …