Local manufacturers worry and plan for hard hit of American tariffs [Video]

As politicians scramble to figure out how to stave off proposed American tariffs on Canadian goods, London-area manufacturing leaders are making contingency plans to keep their businesses going in the face of massive uncertainty. 

President-elect Donald Trump has said he would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian products entering the United States unless Canada tightens border security. 

“We’re definitely concerned, and we’re definitely talking about it,” said Paul Smith, president of Arva Industries, a St.Thomas-based company that designs and manufactures equipment for the rail and mining industry. 

The company employs 47 people and does a lot of business within Canada as well as in Mexico and Latin America on the mining side. On the rail side of the business, customers are in Chicago, Philadelphia and New York City. It would be that side of the business that would take the biggest hit if tariffs were imposed, Smith said. 

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