Threat puts thousands of flooring jobs at risk
New U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, including wood flooring, have sparked concerns among Canadian manufacturers about potential job losses and economic instability. Industry leaders warn that the sudden tariffs cannot be absorbed, threatening the viability of regional lumber-dependent economies.
Why it matters
The trade policy shift creates significant uncertainty for the Canadian manufacturing sector and highlights the vulnerability of regional economies to sudden changes in international trade relations.
OTTAWA - Jean-François Dufresne is worried about the future of his industry.
The president and CEO of Preverco, a major Canadian hardwood flooring producer, says new U.S. tariffs announced Friday by the Trump administration threaten to devastate the sector, putting thousands of jobs at risk.
“Overnight, we’re losing 25 per cent of our business,” Dufresne said.
“There is no way that we can pass those tariffs, and there is no way we can absorb them. So essentially, that business is gone overnight.”
On Friday, the Trump administration announced a major shift in the tariffs the United States applies on Canadian goods, removing several products off its targeted list and replacing them with new items.
Among the products now affected are shampoos, soaps, certain paints, cocoa products, carpets, and wood products that include flooring.
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