Canada's proposed counter-tariffs could paint grim picture for London art shops

Kendra Seguin · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 31, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: March 31

As Canada prepares its adjacent circular of countermeasures to U.S.-imposed tariffs, immoderate autarkic creation proviso stores successful London accidental they expect to beryllium caught successful the crosshairs. 

The Government of Canada is finalizing its database of $125 cardinal successful U.S. imported goods that volition beryllium taxable to tariffs, including creation supplies specified arsenic paints, brushes, markers, textiles and photography materials. 

However, dissimilar groceries, creation store owners and employees accidental it's overmuch harder to banal their stores with Canadian alternatives.

"It's pugnacious erstwhile Canada has truthful fewer options for manufacturers," said Jess Murphy, a store adjunct astatine Bijan's Art Studio. "We privation to enactment the fewer that exist, but determination are conscionable truthful galore large marque names that everyone truly wants, and those are each from the States."

Professional-quality creation paints are conscionable 1 illustration of creation materials chiefly made successful the U.S. that could beryllium deed by tariffs, Murphy said, adding determination are immoderate high-quality Canadian alternatives similar Tri-Art Manufacturing from Kingston, Ont.

"If radical inquire america astir the non-U.S. brands, it's like, 'OK, we've got 1 oregon 2 options for you, oregon sometimes none,'" Murphy said. 

The options are adjacent less for the movie photography industry, said All Things Film proprietor Avan Patel, who said definite types of movie are lone produced successful the U.S.

"Unfortunately, each the colour movie is made by Kodak now. There's nary competition. It's beauteous overmuch a monopoly astatine this point," helium said.

Some U.S. suppliers are reaching retired to Canadian businesses to accidental they are trying to support costs low, according to London Yarns proprietor Janet Filipchuk.

"So far, they've assured maine astatine this signifier of the game, determination aren't going to beryllium added fees," Filipchuk said, adding that 1 institution offered a discount to Canadian buyers erstwhile tariff talks started successful February.

Filipchuk said that her concern volition beryllium chiefly unaffected by the U.S.-Canada commercialized warfare since astir of her yarn is from Canada oregon overseas, but said she is inactive disquieted astir the concern arsenic a tiny concern owner. 

Canadians tin constitute to the authorities until Apr. 2, sharing their feedback connected the agelong database of goods that could beryllium included successful the antagonistic tariffs. Until then, different store employees accidental determination is inactive a batch of uncertainty successful the air, which makes it hard to program their concern models and find costs for consumers. 

"Our extremity is to support things arsenic affordable arsenic we tin for our customers, but of course, we're not definite however to enactment afloat erstwhile we besides person to enactment guardant the outgo of tariffs and different charges for shipping from the States," Murphy said. 

Increased costs affect nonrecreational and hobby artists

Some of the store employees, who are each artists themselves, said they interest the accrued outgo of surviving owed to tariffs volition discourage hobby and nonrecreational artists from pursuing their craft.

"It's hard due to the fact that for radical whose afloat clip occupation isn't art, that mightiness beryllium 1 of the things they person to sacrifice arsenic market prices spell up," said Hannah Johnston, who besides works astatine Bijan's Art Studio.

Patel said he's already seen it successful his customer's buying habits.

"Instead of buying 10 rolls of film, they'll bargain 2 oregon 3 erstwhile they're going connected a trip, whereas years prior, they would conscionable banal up," helium said. "We're trying to spot however we tin assistance them proceed what they're doing portion cutting costs, but not going retired of business."

Filipchuk said she thinks artists volition propulsion done the outgo challenges, adding that making creation is simply a "need" for many. 

"I deliberation that radical volition beryllium buying a small smarter similar they look to beryllium crossed the board, but I don't deliberation it's going to halt the originative process and however radical are going to support doing what they emotion to do," she said.