Canada’s Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has announced a series of relief measures aimed at easing the burden of countermeasure tariffs on Canadian businesses and institutions impacted by the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.
One key initiative is a performance-based tariff remission framework for automakers. Companies that continue to manufacture vehicles in Canada will be permitted to import a set number of U.S.-assembled, CUSMA-compliant vehicles tariff-free. The remission is tied to maintaining or increasing production and investment in Canadian facilities. Should domestic operations decline, the number of tariff-free imports will be reduced proportionally.
In addition, a temporary six-month relief has been introduced for Canadian importers relying on U.S. goods used in manufacturing, processing, food and beverage packaging, and essential public services such as health care and public safety. This measure is intended to provide short-term flexibility while businesses adjust supply chains and prioritize domestic sourcing where possible.
The government has also opened applications for the Large Enterprise Tariff Loan Facility (LETL), designed to assist large businesses facing liquidity constraints as a result of the trade dispute. Eligible companies—particularly those critical to national priorities such as food, energy, and public safety—will gain access to financing under conditions that promote job retention and continued operations in Canada. Businesses already in insolvency before the crisis are excluded from the program.
Minister Champagne emphasized that further measures will be considered as the situation evolves, with continued coordination across federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
