Tariff tracker: Confused by the trade war? Here's where things stand today

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U.S President Donald Trump’s trade war against his country’s largest trading partner has been anything but straightforward. Here, the Financial Post tracks key moments in the ongoing battle so that you don’t have to.

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MARCH 4 — U.S. LAUNCHES TARIFF WAR

President Trump implements sweeping 25 per cent tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico, with a lesser 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy products.

MARCH 4 — CANADA RETALIATES

Canada imposes retaliatory 25 per cent tariffs on $30-billion worth of imported U.S. goods, including orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics and certain pulp and paper products.

MARCH 5 — U.S. EXEMPTS AUTOS

Trump grants a one-month exemption for automobiles and parts imported from Canada and Mexico that are covered under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

MARCH 6 — U.S. BROADENS EXEMPTIONS

Trump adjusts his exemption order to include all products covered under CUSMA. However, tariffs remain in place on goods that do not qualify for CUSMA preference:

• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA energy products (includes some oil and critical minerals)  
• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA potash
• 25 per cent on all other non-CUSMA goods

MARCH 10 — ONTARIO APPLIES SURTAX ON ELECTRICITY

Ontario Premier Doug Ford imposes a retaliatory 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to New York, Minnesota and Michigan.

MARCH 11 — ONTARIO PAUSES ELECTRICITY SURTAX

Ford pauses the tax after speaking with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who agrees to meet the premier and federal finance minister, Dominic LeBlanc, on March 13. The White House also withdraws threats to double scheduled tariffs on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent.

MARCH 12 — U.S. SLAPS TARIFFS ON STEEL AND ALUMINUM

The U.S. implements 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports.

MARCH 13 — CANADA RETALIATES AGAIN

On top of the $30 billion in retaliatory tariffs announced on March 4, Canada imposes a 25 per cent tariff on an additional $29.8-billion worth of U.S. imports, including steel ($12.6 billion), aluminum ($3 billion) and other goods ($14.2 billion), including computers, sports equipment and cast-iron products.

MARCH 20 — CHINA RETALIATES

In response to tariffs Canada announced in October on Chinese-made electric vehicles (100 per cent), steel and aluminum (25 per cent), China implements tariffs on some Canadian food imports, including:

• 100 per cent on canola oil, canola meal and pea products
• 25 per cent on seafood
• 25 per cent on pork

APRIL 2 — U.S. RECIPROCAL TARIFFS

On April 2, Trump announced the U.S. will impose expansive country-specific tariffs ranging from 10 to 49 per cent — but did not levy any additional tariffs against Canada and Mexico. Trump also confirmed that previously announced 25 per cent tariffs on all foreign automobiles will go into effect at midnight on April 3.

At a press conference in the White House’s Rose Garden, Trump said that “jobs and factories will come roaring back” to the U.S. and tariffs will introduce “the golden age of America.”

Trump’s executive orders stipulated that exemptions will continue for goods from Canada and Mexico that are compliant under the Canada-United States-Mexico (CUSMA) free trade agreement. Tariffs on non-CUSMA goods will remain in place as follows:

• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA energy products
• 10 per cent on non-CUSMA potash
• 25 per cent on all other non-CUSMA goods

The president presented a chart showing a list of reciprocal tariff rates for several countries, including:

• China: 34 per cent
• European Union: 20 per cent
• Vietnam: 46 per cent
• Taiwan: 32 per cent
• Japan: 24 per cent
• India: 26 per cent
• South Korea: 25 per cent

APRIL 3 — U.S. AUTO TARIFFS

Four weeks after they were first announced, 25 per cent tariffs on all cars and light trucks imported to the U.S. go into effect.

On March 26, Trump said the tariffs will be permanent and that he expected manufacturers to move jobs and production to the U.S.

Trump’s executive order specified that 25 per cent tariffs on assembled vehicles start on April 3, while tariffs on certain parts such as “engines and engine parts, transmissions and powertrain parts and electrical components” will start on May 3.

For autos imported under CUSMA, the 25 per cent tariff will apply to the value of the vehicle’s non-U.S. content and systems. CUSMA-compliant auto parts will be exempt from tariffs until the U.S. figures out how to apply tariffs to their non-U.S. content.

APRIL 3 — CANADA RETALIATES #3

Following Trump’s reciprocal tariff announcement, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on April 3 that Canada will impose a 25 per cent tariff on U.S.-made vehicle imports that aren’t compliant with CUSMA and on “non-Canadian content” in compliant vehicles. However, auto parts are exempt. Carney said proceeds from the retaliatory tariffs will be allocated to workers and businesses impacted by the trade war. 

Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Carney said the era of “close co-operation, partnership, job growth and prosperity” between the Canada and U.S. has ended.

APRIL 9 — CANADA AUTO TARIFFS

One week after Carney’s countermeasure announcement, 25 per cent tariffs on non-CUSMA compliant fully assembled vehicles and on “non-Canadian and non-Mexican content” in compliant vehicles imported from the U.S. goes into effect.

The government also said it would announce a “remission framework” for auto producers to retain Canadian jobs and incentivize production and investment in Canada. 

APRIL 9 — TRUMP’S TIT-FOR-TAT WITH CHINA

Trump upped his previously announced tariffs on Chinese imports from 54 per cent to 104. When Beijing retaliated with an 84 per cent tax on American goods (effective April 10), Trump struck back, bringing China’s tariff rate to 125 per cent. The Chinese commerce ministry accused the U.S. of “blackmail” and vowed to “fight to the end,” setting up a battle of wills between the two superpowers.

APRIL 9 — TRUMP HITS PAUSE (AGAIN)

Less than 14 hours after his global reciprocal tariffs went into effect — triggering a dual plunge in both stock and bond markets — President Trump announced an immediate 90-day pause for all countries (except China), resetting the tariff rate to 10 per cent across the board. In a hastily called press conference outside the White House, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the reversal was Trump’s plan all along, part of a strategy to create “maximum negotiating leverage” for himself.

APRIL 15 — CANADA BRINGS SOME RELIEF

Ottawa offers Canadian vehicle manufacturers an exemption from retaliatory tariffs on automobiles imported from the U.S. — provided companies maintain Canadian production levels and the products are CUSMA-compliant. The government also issues a six-month pause on retaliatory tariffs for certain goods imported from the U.S. and used in Canadian manufacturing, processing and food and beverage packaging. The exemption also extends to goods produced in the public health, healthcare, public safety and national security realms.

APRIL 15 — TRUMP ADDRESSES TARIFF STACKING

Trump attempts to address the issue of tariff stacking on goods subject to his multiple, often overlapping, executive orders. This new order provides rules for determining which tariffs should apply in such circumstances and offers refunds for importers that paid stacked tariffs dating back to March 4.

MAY 3 — U.S. TARIFFS ON AUTO PARTS

Trump imposes 25 per cent tariffs on auto parts imported into the U.S., excluding those from Canada that are CUSMA-compliant.

• Email: jswitzer@postmedia.com

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