Canada altered the composition of its planned counter-tariff schedule following feedback from domestic industries, Finance Canada said late Wednesday. Officials said the revision removes seafood and fish products from the roster of U.S. goods that would face retaliatory duties.
What changed
The government statement made clear that seafood and fish products have been taken off the list of items subject to Canadian counter-tariffs. No further specifics about the revision were provided by Finance Canada in the announcement.
Tariff measures announced
Separately, Canada had announced on Tuesday that tariffs on American steel and aluminum would be raised to 50% from the prior 25%. Ottawa also signaled plans to levy tariffs between 15% and 50% on a broad set of other U.S. exports. The government named categories that would be included in those measures, listing clothing, apparel, appliances, and dairy products among the hundreds of targeted items.
Context and immediate status
Officials described the announced tariff program as Canada’s response to recent duties imposed by the U.S. administration led by President Donald Trump. Canadian businesses remain subject to the effects of the U.S. tariffs already in place and are awaiting the implementation of Ottawa’s countermeasures.
U.S. position and Canadian rationale
United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has publicly warned on numerous occasions that the Trump administration will take action if Canada moves ahead with additional retaliatory steps. Finance Canada said the decision to adjust the counter-tariff list was made to guard against broader economic harm, without elaborating on what specific risks motivated removing seafood and fish.
Outlook
With the revision to the list and limited detail from Ottawa, the final scope and timing of Canada’s counter-tariffs remain unclear. Affected industries and market participants continue to watch both governments for further announcements.
Key facts in this report reflect the government statements and public comments cited above. No additional details were provided by authorities at the time of the announcement.