Washington must avoid new tariffs with Ottawa: Canadian and U.S. mayors | Globalnews.ca

Washington must avoid any new tariffs with Ottawa during a review of its trilateral trade agreement, mayors of several Canadian and U.S. cities urge. The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative, a multinational coalition of municipal and Indigenous government executives representing communities in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region, said Thursday the time is now to rebuild trade relations and invest in local water infrastructure.That region represents nearly 50 per cent of all Canada-U.S. bilateral trade and forms a $12.98-trillion economy, it said.“The U.S.-Canada trade relationship has long been a pillar for the economic growth and prosperity of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River Region,” said Toronto Deputy Mayor Paul Ainslie in a news release. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. The group is also urging Washington to preserve and strengthen the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and avoid any new tariffs or tariff increases on Canada during its review this year. Story continues below advertisement The asks come as Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is set to head to Washington.LeBlanc will be stateside Friday ahead of the CUSMA review, which is set for this summer.Prime Minister Mark Carney said during a media availability in Australia Wednesday that Canada’s free trade pact with the United States “effectively has been broken in the short-term by U.S. actions.” Trending Now Muslim mothers barred from volunteering at Quebec schools over hijabs The Bank of Canada says these are the 3 warning signs for mortgage default Canada has been feeling the impact of sectoral U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber and the auto sector.Carney said certain protocols under CUSMA weren’t followed when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered tariffs on Canada.He added Canada is looking to this year’s CUSMA review as a process to “re-establish the trust” individuals, businesses and investors need to guide trade between the nations.LeBlanc’s trip also comes after a judge with the U.S. Court of International Trade ruled Wednesday that businesses are owed refunds for Trump’s tariffs levied under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act — a set of duties ruled illegal by the Supreme Court last month.— With files from The Canadian Press More on Politics More videos ‘Buy Canadian’ policy likely to cost taxpayers $12 billion yearly: study Canadians want floor-crossing MPs to face ‘immediate’ byelections: poll LeBlanc heading to D.C. after Carney says CUSMA ‘broken in the short term’ Federal government boosts scrutiny of businesses claiming to be Indigenous-owned U.S. special forces launch anti-drug operations in Ecuador Municipal Matters: World Cup Countdown Calgary mayor floats plebiscite after provincial education property tax increase Canadians want floor-crossing MPs to face immediate byelections, new polls show