Southeast Alberta Chamber urges action on trade barriers amid tariff dispute

The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce is calling for immediate action to strengthen Canadian competitiveness as the Canada-U.S. trade dispute intensifies. The Chamber says new tariffs and counter-tariffs are raising costs, disrupting supply chains, delaying investment decisions and creating uncertainty for employers and workers across the region.

Chamber president Aaron Fleming said local businesses have shown resilience through more than a decade of challenges, but argued resilience alone is not enough to address long-standing structural barriers. He called for policies encouraging domestic trade, improved infrastructure, reduced regulatory burdens, and accelerated nation-building projects.

The Chamber says businesses have already reported rising costs, inventory shortages, supplier problems and inflation, pressures it expects could worsen as tariffs work through supply chains and raise the cost of equipment, materials and consumer goods. It is also urging governments to remove internal trade barriers and improve labour mobility to boost economic resilience.

Fleming also emphasized reducing reliance on a single export market, calling diversification a long-term investment rather than just a response to current tensions. The federal government has announced support measures for tariff-affected businesses, including expanded funding through the Regional Tariff Response Initiative, financing support, market diversification programs and worker-retention initiatives.