‘Stayin’ in Canada’: These artists halt sales to U.S. amid new 50% tariff on original art
Canadian artists are halting sales to the United States in response to a new 50% tariff on original art. The trade dispute has led creators to prioritize domestic markets over the American export market.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the real-world economic impact of trade wars on small-scale creative industries and cross-border commerce.
For the mixed-media artist from Eastern Passage, N.S., that was the final straw. Despite about half of her customers being American, she will no longer ship her pieces south of the border.
“Sorry, it’s not going to the U.S. anymore. It’s stayin’ in Canada,” said Hulme.
“It’s original artwork. It should be free speech. It should be freedom of expression. And to tariff that … it restricts everything that an artist should be able to do.”
The new tariffs apply to a range of Canadian art, including paintings, drawings, collages, decorative plaques, engravings, prints, sculptures and more.
While the Canadian government announced dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on products imported from the U.S. effective Sept. 8, the retaliatory measures do not include original art.
One of Hulme's latest pieces featuring the iconic pro-Canadian phrase, 'Elbows Up!' (Celina Aalders/CBC) Cole Harbour artist Miranda Jordan has also halted all sales to the states.
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