The City of Surrey has joined a number of other Canadian cities that border the United States to prepare for U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.
Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke said at a press conference on Thursday morning that the Border Mayors Alliance aims to keep municipal perspectives front and centre as the national response to the tariffs is also underway.
The mayor of Windsor, Ont., Drew Dilkens, chairs the alliance and said the group has already begun identifying alternative supply chains to lessen the impact of the tariffs.
“But make no doubt, the impact even as this situation evolves could be quite staggering on our national and local economies,” Dilkens said.
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“That’s why Canadian mayors of cities and towns along the Canada-U.S. border are united as the Border Mayors Alliance.”
Locke said border cities would be hit first and hardest by any tariffs.
“Surrey of course faces significant risks,” she said. “Our data revealed over 29 per cent of Surrey businesses have direct ties with the U.S. amounting in roughly 2.8 billion in border commerce annually.”
While Windsor is the automotive capital of Canada, Locke said truckers will feel the impact immediately, and the manufacturing sector will also be hit hard with companies manufacturing everything from aerospace to agriculture.
Right now there are around 20 border mayors in the alliance, which in B.C. includes Nelson and the Township of Langley.
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