Canadian border mayors push feds for financial aid for slumping duty free stores

CBC News

· Posted: Jun 03, 2025 12:37 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

Border mayors successful Canada are pleading with the national authorities to connection fiscal assistance to struggling independently owned work escaped stores amidst ongoing governmental and economical commercialized warfare tension.

An unfastened missive penned connected behalf of the Frontier Duty Free Association (FDFA) has been signed by 15 mayors whose communities place the United States, and who person seen a steep diminution successful cross-border trips. On Tuesday, it was sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

The relation represents 32 stores crossed the country.

The letter outlines what's referred to arsenic a disproportionate interaction the stores, and their enactment forces, are facing from tariffs and continued cross-border question disruptions.

WATCH | Duty escaped shops fearfulness Trump's commercialized warfare volition unit them retired of business: 

Barbara Barrett, the enforcement manager for FDFA, says "immediate action" is needed from Ottawa.

"When question slows oregon stops, our stores — each independently owned, household tally and often the main leader successful their towns — are the archetypal to consciousness it and often the hardest hit," she told reporters during a Tuesday greeting quality league connected Parliament Hill. 

"Our communities can't spend to suffer these businesses. That's wherefore today's missive is truthful urgent and wherefore we're calling connected the authorities to measurement successful earlier the harm becomes permanent."

Association president Tania Lee says immoderate stores are seeing arsenic overmuch arsenic 80 per cent successful gross losses. She says if that inclination continues, 1 3rd of each work escaped stores volition close.

FDFA is looking for things specified arsenic liquidity enactment for its hardest deed stores, and clarity connected export rules.

"Our inquire is modest, but the request is urgent," Lee said.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley says work escaped stores are struggling.

"This is not a abdominous feline industry," helium said. 

"The radical we've spoken to who person these peculiar operations crossed this state are mean moving radical who unrecorded successful their community, employment radical successful their assemblage and springiness backmost to their community. 

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens besides signed the missive to the national government.

"We judge that those things tin really marque a important and impactful quality portion we navigate these choppy waters unneurotic with their friends successful the United States," helium said. 

"While this substance [trade war] is being settled, let's marque definite that we support radical working."