Ohio Faces $17.5 Billion Canada Trade Hit as 50% Tariffs Stoke Anger and Uncertainty
Updated
Updated · CBC Sports · Aug 29
Ohio Faces $17.5 Billion Canada Trade Hit as 50% Tariffs Stoke Anger and Uncertainty
3 articles · Updated · CBC Sports · Aug 29
Summary
Ohio businesses and consumers say the Canada-U.S. trade war is already raising costs, delaying homebuilding and clouding investment plans in a state deeply tied to cross-border trade.
Joe Koch’s family construction firm has scaled back expected new builds as buyers wait for lower rates or an end to tariffs, while manufacturers say 25% to 50% aluminum levies and fuel surcharges have made Canadian sales and sourcing uneconomic.
Canada is Ohio’s biggest export market, taking $17.5 billion of goods last year, while Youngstown-area employers still rely heavily on manufacturing and face fresh uncertainty before Canadian counter-tariffs begin Sept. 8.
Residents interviewed in northeastern Ohio blamed tariffs for pricier groceries and weaker factory demand, though some business leaders called the impact mixed because steel producers can benefit even as other companies lose business.
With November midterms approaching, several Ohioans and executives said the trade fight is becoming a pocketbook issue that could reshape voting in a state where Democrats are competitive in key races.