ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods Sunday in response to the Trump administration’s new taxes on steel and aluminum imported to the United States.
The move could hurt Florida’s economy as well as its jobs and consumers, according to the Florida Chamber of Commerce.
In a statement released late last month, amid fears of a possible impending trade war, the state Chamber warned: “Extending the tariffs to our allies and trade and investment partners could provoke broad-range retaliation. Any economic momentum gained from Florida’s long-term strategic focus on growth and diversification, and the recent tax reforms would be at risk—hurting jobs and consumers.”
On Monday, in the wake of Canada's retaliatory actions, the national chamber doubled down on the condemnation by launching a campaign opposing the administration’s trade tariff policies.
“Tariffs imposed by the United States are nothing more than a tax increase on American consumers and businesses–including manufacturers, farmers, and technology companies–who will all pay more for commonly used products and materials,” the U.S. Chamber of Commerce stated on its website. “Retaliatory tariffs imposed by other countries on U.S. exports will make American-made goods more expensive, resulting in lost sales and ultimately lost jobs here at home. This is the wrong approach, and it threatens to derail our nation’s recent economic resurgence.”
According to the U.S. Chamber, $713 million dollars in Florida exports would be threatened in the event of an all-out trade war, with $241 million in Florida exports to Canada targeted for retaliation. The hardest-hit products would be motorboats, yachts and coffee.
The organization said 2,502,500 Florida jobs are supported by global trade.
Canada is the United States' second-biggest trading partner in goods, just behind China.
