Advocacy Update February 3, 2025

February 1st, 2025 was a difficult day for all Canadians, especially for the business community. The US decision to impose tariffs on February 4th will have immediate and direct consequences for Canadian and American livelihoods—drastically increasing costs for families, communities, and businesses.

Canada has been a reliable trading partner to the U.S. for decades with our supply chains deeply integrated—not just because we are neighbours, but because it makes good economic sense.

This decision disrupts industries on both sides of the border, harming businesses, workers, and consumers alike. The Saint John Region Chamber’s focus remains on growing and solidifying our local economy for our members in concert with the New Brunswick and Canadian economies.

Right now, the priority is to provide security to families, communities, and businesses facing uncertainty. Until we can make U.S. decision-makers understand the enormity of the Canada-U.S. relationship, we must focus on what we can control:

✅ Diversifying trade partners

✅ Strengthening interprovincial trade

✅ Encouraging “shop local” initiatives

🔹 The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce will be meeting with provincial governments this week to discuss next steps.

🔹 We are all working closely with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, as well as our provincial chambers to advocate for strong, united action. We are actively engaged on behalf of our members; we are working to understand the implications of these tariffs and advocating for policies that protect our business community. Our goal is to address ongoing productivity and competitive issues and to mitigate negative effects of a trade war.

🔹 Our commitment to you, our members, is to keep you informed as the situation evolves and continue pushing for policies that support economic stability and growth. We encourage our members to rally behind local businesses and industries—every dollar spent locally strengthens our economy.

Additionally, we would encourage you to follow the Government of Canada and Government of New Brunswick announcements to remain informed of latest policy initiatives.

To find the latest updates from Government of Canada – Click here

To find the latest updates from the Government of New Brunswick – Click here

To help navigate shopping local and products made in Canada, this Made in Canada website offers a comprehensive list of Canadian products – Click here

We will share further updates as we have them. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your Chamber team with thoughts/concerns. Your feedback will help us as we advocate on key issues within the different levels of government as we navigate these changing times.

Thank you for your resilience and support.

Your Chamber Team

506-634-8111

info@thechambersj.com