Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette warns the threat of incoming tariffs from the United States will significantly disrupt Quebec’s economy.

Speaking at a conference in Montreal on Thursday, Fréchette told reporters that nine per cent of the province’s exports could be affected by the tariffs, amounting to about $7 billion worth of goods.

“It’s colossal,” she said.

Canada is less than one week away from the Aug. 19 tariff deadline imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened 50 per cent tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian exports to the U.S.

“Many companies could be in survival mode should these tariffs be implemented,” Fréchette added.

She noted that negotiations with the federal government are expected to intensify over the coming days as the deadline approaches.

“We still have a few days left, so we must make the most of the time we have,” she said.

Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminium Association of Canada, said the hardest-hit industries will be processed goods, rather than raw aluminum and steel.

“We’re talking here about goods that are processed, goods that are imported and re-exported,” he told reporters after the Thursday conference. “It’s a whole series of goods.

“The private sector has not been impacted as much as the rest. So we’re still producing as much metal. We haven’t lost jobs. Our communities have not been impacted. But the hardship is in the downstream industries, and governments have been very supportive of that, and have to remain supportive for these sectors,” Simard added.

He noted that the economic impact to Quebec would stem from the reaction in the U.S. and Canadian markets.

“What happens in the market (has) impacts upstream: the production of steel, the production of aluminum, the production of lumber,” he told reporters ahead of the Thursday conference.

Véronique Proulx, the president and CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, said the tariffs would hit small, medium and large manufacturers across the province.

“The impact will not only be on the companies themselves, but on the ecosystem that is around,” she said.

Proulx said that in a meeting with the premier’s team, business leaders asked for tax measures to be put in place in the event tariffs come into effect Aug. 19.

“This being said, the government didn’t agree to do so, but we did make suggestions that could be put in place, as they did during the pandemic,” Proulx added.

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