Trump Exempts Some Canadian Goods From 50% Tariffs, Adds New Levies on Others From Oct 30

US President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation exempting a number of Canadian products from the 50% tariffs he imposed over the summer, while adding new levies on other Canadian goods, the Associated Press reported. The move was first announced on Friday by Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, and the changes take effect on October 30.

According to the AP, the 50% tariffs were applied to about $20 billion worth of Canadian products. The White House confirmed the change in a statement from spokesman Matthew Middleton, which said the proclamation was aimed at “further refining the scope of the tariffs on certain Canadian products,” The Washington Post reported. Middleton said the president was continuing to respond to what the administration describes as Canada’s discriminatory treatment of US commerce, with the aim of protecting American farmers, manufacturers and workers.

Goods affected

The Washington Post said the new policy exempts nine categories of products. A list provided by Collins’ office includes corrugated paper cartons and boxes; plastic boxes, cases and crates; refrigeration and freezing equipment; agricultural cleaning, sorting and grading equipment; certain types of machinery; and seaweed and algae products for human consumption. The AP said the exemptions include plywood sheets, packing crates and some machinery.

The exempted levies will be replaced with tariffs on certain valves, carpets, waste products and other goods, according to a White House fact sheet cited by the Post. Rates for the newly added items were not given in the reports.

Collins presses for relief

In a statement, Collins said many farmers and growers in her state depend on specialised equipment, packaging materials and other Canadian products that either cannot be sourced from US suppliers or cannot be replaced without significant cost. She said that in repeated conversations with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other senior officials, she had sought tariff relief and “stressed the burdens additional costs impose on Maine businesses and families,” the AP reported.

Collins’ office pointed to Maine wild blueberry growers, who need specialised harvesting boxes from Canada that work with their processing equipment, according to the AP. The Post reported that Trump’s tariffs on Canada have particularly affected Maine, Michigan and New Hampshire, which border Canada and were also hit by Canadian countertariffs.

The AP said Canada has retaliated with tariffs of 15% to 50% on American products. Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, described the move as a last-minute bid to help Collins and said it showed voters were rejecting the administration’s tariff policies, the AP reported.

What’s next

The tariff changes take effect on October 30, ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Collins said she would seek further tariff relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, which she described as the United States’ largest trading partner, according to the AP. Neither report included a new response from Canadian officials.

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