Tariff Response – Invest Durham

Township Council, through a report from Mayor Dave, has delegated staff to prepare a Buy Canadian policy to further support the local and national economy. This initiative aims to strengthen local businesses, protect jobs, and ensure economic resilience in the face of external trade challenges. By prioritizing Canadian-made products and services, the Township is taking proactive steps to reinforce economic stability and encourage sustainable growth within our communities.

The threat of U.S. Tariffs is already having impacts. If 25% tariffs are applied in four weeks, with Canadian retaliatory tariffs, it will cause broad impacts on jobs and the local economy.

Durham Region, with the Cities, Towns, and Townships as well as the Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade have combined forces to create a plan to support the impacted businesses and residents of Durham.

The Durham Economic Task Force (DETF) is here to help.

Here’s what we’re working on:

• Economic Development teams from across Durham Region are reaching out to businesses. Please let us know how we can help. We can offer advice on ways to mitigate impacts. We can make connections to other government services. We would be happy to share the top 10 things an importer or exporter can do to prepare for tariffs.
• We have been providing information about Durham Region businesses to the Province to support them in a Team Canada response.
• We have prepared a centralized landing page – www.investdurham.ca/tariff – with information on who to contact, and what support may be available.
• We are quickly putting together a trade diversification support program. If your product can be sold in international markets beyond the USA, we want to know! In fact, our team will be at the world’s largest industrial technology trade fair in March, and we would love to showcase your products to potential European buyers (did you know Canada and Europe enjoy nearly 100% free trade through CETA?).
• We regularly promote independently owned and operated producers, tourism operators, and food and beverage makers in Durham. To amplify this even further, we will launch a promotional campaign to encourage Canadians to shop locally and visit Durham.
• The DETF is in your corner. We will be meeting regularly to collaborate on the best ways to support Durham businesses, and residents.

Canadians have confidence that our economic strength and resilience will help us weather the storm together to emerge stronger.

Townships of Brock, Scugog, Uxbridge, and Durham Region Agriculture Economic Development Services: InvestDurham@durham.ca

The DETF is a collaborative response team made up of Durham Region’s Economic Development and Tourism team; local municipal economic development teams from Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Brock, Uxbridge and Scugog, and the region's chambers of commerce and boards of trade. The members also engage with other key partners like Spark Centre and 1855 Technology Accelerator, post-secondary institutions, business improvement areas (BIAs), the Business Advisory Centre of Durham (BACD), provincial and federal partners, industry associations, and others.