Canadian border communities say they are on the frontlines of the trade war launched by the Trump administration.
The United States imposed a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian imports effective Tuesday, and Canada pushed back with its own 25 per cent tariff.
St. Stephen Mayor Allan MacEachern said the tariffs are a major concern for his community, which sits just across the St. Croix River from Calais, Maine.
“We’re so intertwined with our neighbours, friends, family, colleagues. Both communities rely on the movement of people and product. That’s how we were built,” MacEachern told our newsroom.
But it is not just the potential financial impact of tariffs that worries MacEachern, who has served as mayor of the town for nearly a decade.
He said the tariffs have created a divide between communities and residents on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border.
“It is very challenging for people that are so close to our neighbours. I grew up thinking Calais is my hometown as well, so that divide is what’s very concerning,” said MacEachern.
MacEachern said the municipality is looking at where its tax dollars are being spent in light of the U.S. tariffs.
In the meantime, he is encouraging Canadians to stay united and support local businesses.
