Canada-US Tariffs/Pause
Canada-US Tariffs/Pause
Dateline : Aug 18-19, 2026
Location : Canada
Duration : 1'41
Windsor, Ontario, Canada - Aug 18-19, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of bridge, bell statue, national flag of Canada
2. Various of locals by river
3. SOUNDBITE (English) local resident (name not given) (starting with shot 2/ending with shot 4):
"We are in a situation of having to make the best of a bad circumstance is really where we are at. It sounds like a little bit of concession on both sides, hopefully. It's a matter of not panicking because at the last minute things tend to change."
4. National flag of United States, bridge
5. SOUNDBITE (English) local resident (name not given) (starting with shot 4):
"We should be able to stand on our own two feet even if we have to tighten the belt a little, that's worth it. We cannot depend on other people."
6. Ferry by river
7. Various of Steve Ondejko, president of Onfreight Logistics, walking with reporter; working in office
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Ondejko, president, Onfreight Logistics (starting with shot 7/ending with shot 9):
"Certain industries are certainly hit very hard with the tariffs and the cost of the tariffs, and trying to offset those somehow and keep the business working in Canada has been a struggle for some industries."
9. Various of truck arriving at factory; worker operating forklift
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Steve Ondejko, president, Onfreight Logistics (starting with shot 9):
"I think the world is on pause, and the business world is on pause, and the investments in new business is on pause until this is resolved. Business will not invest money for a short period of time. Businesses need long-term visions."
11. Various of bridge, vessel on river
Canadian residents and business owners are hoping for a longer-term solution to the trade dispute with the neighboring United States after U.S. President Donald Trump said the planned 50-percent tariffs on some Canadian goods scheduled to take effect Wednesday would be paused for three days.
In a post on Truth Social late Tuesday, Trump said the United States and Canada had reached a last-minute deal, subject to the finalization of documents.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later said in a statement that substantial progress has been made in recent weeks, "although there is important work still to be done" as he hopes to continue to "deliver greater certainty and real benefits for Canadian businesses, workers, farmers, and families."
Many businesses across Canada are breathing a sigh of relief after temporally avoiding the bruising new set of tariffs, which would have targeted a range of Canadian goods from cement and building supplies, to dairy and even hockey sticks.
The news of the tariff pause was welcomed by locals in Windsor, Ontario, which sits directly across the river from the U.S. city of Detroit, though many know the situation hangs in the balance.
"We are in a situation of having to make the best of a bad circumstance is really where we are at. It sounds like a little bit of concession on both sides, hopefully. It's a matter of not panicking because at the last minute things tend to change," said a local resident.
Windsor is among the regions already impacted by a host of tariffs imposed last year, which are focused on steel, aluminum, lumber and the auto sector, among others.
"We should be able to stand on our own two feet even if we have to tighten the belt a little, that's worth it. We cannot depend on other people," said another Windsor resident.
Canadian wine is another industry that would be hit if the tariffs were brought in, though many local producers say the impact would likely be small. They cite minimal U.S. sales of their products along with a surge in domestic sales following provincial bans on U.S. alcohol sales enacted as part of Canada's retaliatory tariffs.
Nonetheless, the current situation is making things difficult for logistics firms to properly plan ahead, as the uncertainty means many companies are proceeding cautiously as they brace for the potential financial hit.
"Certain industries are certainly hit very hard with the tariffs and the cost of the tariffs, and trying to offset those somehow and keep the business working in Canada has been a struggle for some industries," said Steve Ondejko, President of Onfreight Logistics, a Windsor-based trucking and logistics company.
The announcement of the tariff pause has brought relief, at least for now, but business owners like Ondejko are hoping for a more comprehensive deal that brings greater certainty in the long run.
"I think the world is on pause, and the business world is on pause, and the investments in new business is on pause until this is resolved. Business will not invest money for a short period of time. Businesses need long-term visions," he said.
Despite the recent trade tensions, the U.S. and Canadian economies remain deeply intertwined. The two exchanged some 720 billion dollars of goods last year, though that figure is down 5.5 percent compared to 2024.
ID : 8495183
Published : 2026-08-20 11:50
Last Modified : 2026-08-20 17:34:57
Source : China Global Television Network (CGTN)
Restrictions : No access Chinese mainland
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