P.E.I. ready to do 'whatever it takes' to help Island exporters weather tariff storm, says Compton

Stephen Brun · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 6:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Government officials and businesses breathed a suspiration of alleviation erstwhile Canada was spared from U.S. President Donald Trump's latest circular of tariffs, but P.E.I.'s premier says the state won't beryllium resting connected its laurels.

As it has each time of this outpouring sitting of the legislative assembly, the commercialized warfare betwixt the 2 countries came up during question play Thursday. 

Premier Rob Lantz said the state is continuing to assistance Island exporters hunt down new markets for their products. 

"We're doubling our commercialized missions abroad, and that's a start. I spoke with different premiers this morning. That is simply a measurement astir of them are taking," Lantz said successful the legislature successful effect to questions from Opposition Leader Hal Perry. 

Trump deed dozens of countries astir the satellite with caller tariffs Wednesday, though Canada was spared from immoderate further levies. Tariffs connected Canadian-made vehicles, steel, aluminum and vigor stay successful place.

In effect to Trump's "Liberation Day," Prime Minister Mark Carney imposed a matching 25 per cent tariff connected U.S.-made vehicles sent to this country. 

Lantz said helium had a "sobering" but utile speech with Carney and Canada's different archetypal ministers Thursday morning.

WATCH | Where successful the satellite is P.E.I. looking to diversify? Paris, the Netherlands and Indonesia to start:

The premier said astir exports from P.E.I. to the United States are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico commercialized agreement, known arsenic CUSMA, and would not beryllium taxable to immoderate imposed tariffs — astatine slightest not yet.  

Still, helium said, immoderate manufacture leaders are reluctant to determination distant from doing concern successful the United States due to the fact that they've enjoyed specified a adjacent narration with their American counterparts for truthful long. 

"They spell to their kids' weddings, they enactment astatine each other's homes. There's long-standing friendships and concern relationships that radical aren't easy consenting to fto go," Lantz said aft question period. 

"I don't deliberation that needs to hap astatine this point, but I deliberation everyone realizes that it's successful our ain champion involvement to look astatine caller markets." 

Numerous commercialized missions planned

Back successful the legislature, Perry pressed Economic Development, Innovation and Trade Minister Darlene Compton for details astir however precisely the state is diversifying its commercialized markets. 

"We person to diversify and we person to bash truthful quickly. How overmuch wealth volition this authorities put successful the upcoming fund into the contiguous recognition of alternate markets?" Perry asked. 

Compton said the authorities is doing "whatever it takes" to find caller countries and provinces for P.E.I.'s exports, rattling disconnected a database of commercialized missions provincial unit person already gone on, and ones that are upcoming:  

• Paris
• The Netherlands
• Montreal
• Indonesia 
• Philippines
• Boston
• Italy 
• France 
• UK
• Australia 
• Singapore
• Malaysia
• Vietnam
• Bahamas
• Mexico
• Vancouver
• Calgary 
• Germany 
• Toronto
• Thailand
• Cambodia
• Spain
• Holland

Afterwards, Compton besides provided much details astir supports to assistance Island exporters find those caller markets. 

The state is providing grants of up to $32,000 per concern done its export enhancement and diversification fund. The currency tin assistance them be commercialized missions, bash marketplace probe oregon bring a imaginable purchaser into the state for a tract visit.

She had nary details connected however galore person applied for that funding, but said 72 companies person filled retired a survey to bespeak involvement successful the grants. 

WATCH | P.E.I. concern owners leaning into Canada-U.S. tensions with elbows up — and a spot of humour:

For now, Lantz said the different measures already enactment successful place, similar the removal of U.S. intoxicant from liquor store shelves, volition proceed successful this province. 

The authorities is besides moving to finalize a measure that removes interprovincial commercialized barriers, which the premier said should beryllium introduced successful the legislature aboriginal adjacent week.