International Tariffs Hitting Hard In Western New York

It's been six months since the start of the new Federal administraon and the have been some major policy shifts that the United States has made in 2025. Chief among those, and pershaps most visible, is hte change in Americas trade policy and how those changes have impacted communites around North America and the world.

Since January, the United States has imposed tariffs on various contries all over the world, including our closest neighbors to the north and south.

While tariffs have a nationwide impact, they are often most felt in border communites like Buffalo, heavily relies on cross border trade and other economic activity to bolster our local economies.

Tariffs Having Hard Impact On Buffalo & Western New York Economy

More than $2.5 billion worth of trade crosses the American-Canadian border every single day using various means. Whether its by sea, air, or land, the finanical relatiosnhip between the two nations are closely intertwined. More than $100 million in trade crosses the Peace Bridge alone everyday, and as tariff and duty policy has changed, uncertanty has increased on both sides of the border. That uncertanty has caused lots of people to decide to not cross the border themseleves, becuase they don't know how much things will cost them anymore.

READ MORE: Tariffs Causing Unexpected Cost Increase In Western New York

According to the Niagara 8, communities all over Western New York and Southern Ontario are trying to work together to normalize relations between the regions in an attempt to make things easier for the everyday Western New Yorker or Southern Ontarian navigate the new regime.

For those of us who live along ourshared border, there has never been an “us or them” dynamic between our two countries; rather we view ourselves as tied together geographically, economically, and culturally. That is what has made the current climate over trade so disheartening. The Western New York region and the Niagara Region of Southern Ontario are intrinsically linked and interdependent. Unnecessary tariffs harm both our regions and countries.
-Niagara 8

The blanket 25% tariff on Canadian goods is hurting Western New York along with keeping Canadian shoppers out of our retail outlets and other stores.

Have you noticed any goods you routinely use going up in price due to tariffs?