Late in August of the previous year, Julia Hallman and her spouse embarked on a road trip from their residence in Massachusetts to visit one of their Canadian suppliers at Fromagerie La Station in Quebec. Hallman enjoyed the view of the grazing cows at the farm in Compton, which provide the milk for one of her shop’s popular cheeses, Alfred le Fermier. She is committed to continuing to purchase the cheese for her store not only because it is a favorite among customers but also because she considers the supplier’s family as friends.
Hallman, the owner of Formaggio Kitchen, a specialty cheese and artisan goods store in Cambridge, expressed her desire to support her Canadian suppliers and ensure they receive more income. However, like numerous business owners in both Canada and the United States, she anxiously awaits news on whether the Trump administration will enforce significant new tariffs on a wide range of Canadian products. Business owners in the U.S. fear that enduring 50 percent tariffs would compel them to sever ties with long-standing Canadian suppliers to safeguard their financial stability.
A substantial portion of Formaggio Kitchen’s inventory, approximately half, comprises imported items such as cheeses, chocolates, spices, and spreads, with Canadian products constituting around 15 percent of these goods. Hallman has previously managed tariffs on Canadian dairy by reducing profits, increasing prices for consumers, or both. While she would prefer to continue operating in this manner, she believes that a 50 percent tariff rate would eventually become unsustainable for her business.
Similarly, Sarah Paxton, a co-owner of a contemporary furniture store called LaDIFF in Richmond, Virginia, is concerned that the proposed tariffs may compel her to seek new suppliers in Ontario and Quebec after decades of partnership. Despite one of her suppliers offering to cover the tariff costs up to a certain date, Paxton worries that sustaining the increased expenses on her own would be unfeasible in the long run.
The impending U.S. tariffs, set to affect $28 billion worth of Canadian goods, have created anxiety among Canadian entrepreneurs who fear a significant impact on their profits if American buyers like Hallman and Paxton are forced to seek alternative sources. Representatives from both countries engaged in what was anticipated to be the final ministerial-level meeting on Monday, with Prime Minister’s office confirming talks between Mark Carney and President Donald Trump on the ongoing trade negotiations.
Hallman, preparing for the possibility of tariffs becoming reality, stocked up her shop’s “cheese cave” with non-perishable items before the deadline. She emphasized the emotional toll of the tariffs, noting that importing products is a deliberate choice driven by passion and loyalty to the goods. For Hallman, the imposition of such high tariffs signifies a restriction on the products she values, sending a clear and resounding message to businesses like hers.
