Toronto mayor looks to exclude U.S. companies from future city contracts in response to tariffs

Naama Weingarten · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 06, 2025 1:11 PM EST | Last Updated: 6 hours ago

Toronto is launching its archetypal response in a trade warfare against the U.S., with Mayor Olivia Chow announcing Thursday the metropolis volition solely grant contracts valued astatine little than $353,000 to Canadian businesses — and perchance exclude American companies from each aboriginal contracts. 

Speaking astatine a TTC installation for an unrelated transit announcement, Chow said she plans to enactment guardant a motion barring U.S. businesses from any metropolis contracts, adding that currently, 10 per cent of the city's capital fund goes to American companies. 

"Yeah it whitethorn wounded our pockets, it whitethorn outgo much if we don't bargain Canadian," Chow told reporters. "As arrogant Canadians, I deliberation we are agreed successful saying we volition ne'er backmost down."

The mayor's announcement came soon earlier U.S. President Donald Trump paused tariffs connected Canadian goods erstwhile again until April 2, this clip for exports that are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Chow said that contracts above $353,000 request to beryllium unfastened to bids from different countries because of a pre-existing commercialized woody with European nations, and truthful Canada needs to see bids from planetary companies that transcend that figure.

When asked however the determination volition impact existent contracts that the metropolis has already granted, Chow said officials haven't done a wide analysis because of the delays on tariffs being enacted, with the astir caller pause announced Wednesday for the car industry.

Chow's announcement comes aft she assembled a 13-member squad of concern and labour leaders past month to counsel the metropolis connected its tariff response. She said the metropolis is besides eyeing grants for tiny businesses and different incentives to marque them much palmy successful look of economical uncertainty. 

"We are moving unneurotic with a Team Canada attack and buying Canadian whenever possible," she said. 

As she broke the quality of the city's tariff effect astatine the TTC Hillcrest Complex, Chow besides announced the abstraction volition service arsenic a streetcar retention and attraction installation for 25 of the 60 caller streetcars the metropolis is getting.