Economist estimates job losses could near 90,000
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Donald Trump’s fresh wave of tariffs that took effect this weekend could cost tens of thousands of jobs across the country, according to a well-known economist.
Trevor Tombe, a professor of economics at the University of Calgary, estimates that the new levies could result in nearly 90,000 jobs lost — about 0.4 per cent of Canada’s labour force — many of them in provinces and sectors not directly exposed to the tariffs.
The new section-338 tariffs landed Saturday after Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended trade talks with the United States just hours before the Friday night deadline.
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The 50-per-cent levies on $28-billion worth of Canadian goods covers a wide range of products including machinery and electronics, furniture, alcohol, food and clothing. Carney has pledged to match the U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar.
Tombe, writing for The Hub, estimates that if the tariffs remain in place and sales of the affected goods drop that 52,000 jobs in Canada are directly at risk. Another 35,000 jobs lost in suppliers and service providers to the exporters brings the total to over 87,000. Job losses on that scale would push the country’s unemployment rate from 6.4 per cent to 6.8, he said.
Ontario, the country’s manufacturing hub, will be hit the hardest. Tombe estimates this province could lose 36,000 jobs, Quebec, 18,000, British Columbia, 11,000 and Alberta, 9,000.
