Lethbridge bookstore braces for impact after Canada-U.S. tariff talks collapse
Trade negotiations between Ottawa and Washington have stalled, leaving small businesses with U.S. supply chains uncertain about what comes next.
Why it matters
A breakdown in Canada-U.S. trade talks could raise costs and disrupt supply chains for Alberta small businesses that rely on American suppliers.
Trade and tariff talks between Canada and the United States have stalled, prompting concern among Lethbridge businesses with ties to American suppliers. Analog Books co-owner Scott Warris said his store's biggest supplier, Penguin Random House, ships from warehouses in Tennessee, with deliveries arriving almost daily.
Warris spoke hours after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he had suspended negotiations with the United States. He said he is unsure exactly how threatened tariffs of 50 percent could affect his business, but acknowledged there could be an impact on his store and on Canadian bookstores generally.
Warris said he is also worried about the possibility of retaliatory tariffs from Canada and the broader fallout that could follow. Carney has said he will provide further details this week, including information on what support the federal government may offer to businesses affected by the situation.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.