Mississauga is doubling down on its commitment to “buy local” amid the strained trade relationship between Canada and the U.S.
A new round of tariffs was set to hit Canada today, but U.S. President Donald Trump announced late Tuesday he’s delaying the move for three days. Canada’s neighbour is poised to introduce 50 per cent tariffs on some $28 billion worth of goods.
“I have paused the 50% tariffs against Canada … based on the fact that Canada and the U.S.A., subject to the finalization of documents, have a DEAL!” the U.S. president, who returned to the White House following the November 2024 election after having previously served from 2016 to 2020, said on social media.
Trump pointed to the Keystone XL pipeline in his initial social media post, followed by a fictional image of him slamming an illustration of the pipeline into the ground.
The official proclamation for the tariff pause from the White House says “Canada has expressed a commitment” to remove “discriminations” that the U.S. said did not apply to other countries.
The “discriminations” listed in the proclamation included the provincial booze bans on U.S. products, Canada’s retaliatory quota on tariff-free American vehicle imports and the dairy supply management system.
🎧 Episode 23: Canada at a Trade Crossroads
David Wojcik, President & CEO of MBOT, and this week’s special guest is Peter Hall, CEO of Econosphere Inc., share a timely update as businesses navigate an uncertain trade environment, tariffs, and trade deals: https://t.co/umyr19w1bA pic.twitter.com/q9Vl7CmX7M
— Mississauga Board of Trade (@MBOTOntario) August 19, 2026
Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish said Trump’s three-day tariff pause “further increases stress, particularly for our small- and medium-sized businesses.”
Continuing, in a post to social media on Wednesday, the mayor added “Mississauga’s Economic Development Department is reconfirming policies to ‘buy Canada’, ‘buy Ontario’ and ‘buy local’ in procurement policies — to strengthen our local economy.”
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Trump’s second term began with a tariff surprise
Not long after taking office for his second term, Trump in short order targeted Canada and other countries, including Mexico, with surprise tariffs in early 2025.
The City of Mississauga responded quickly by offering additional support to local businesses and vowing to help in any other way it could.
Among the city’s responses in March 2025:
An amendment to the city’s procurement bylaw that allowed the city to “prioritize Canadian and non-U.S. suppliers, especially for medium- and high-value projects, and streamline the process to support more local, diverse and smaller businesses.”
A “Choose Canada” campaign launched in February 2025 encouraging residents and businesses to support the local economy by purchasing Canadian-made products and services.
Parrish told Mississauga business leaders at the time that she and the city had their backs as the trade relationship between Canada and the U.S. quickly soured in the first few months of 2025.
“Now more than ever, it’s important that we remain connected and work collaboratively to support our businesses,” she said at the inaugural Partners in Trade Roundtable gathering in Mississauga. “The City of Mississauga will continue to advocate for our businesses, ensuring their needs are heard and addressed at all levels of government.”
Hosted by the mayor, the March 2025 roundtable marked the beginning of “an ongoing dialogue between the city and its business community, reaffirming Mississauga’s commitment to being a strong partner in fostering a resilient local economy,” city officials said at the time.
Numerous topics of interest to Mississauga’s business community were discussed at the 2025 Partners in Trade Roundtable. (Photo: City of Mississauga)
The roundtable brought together business leaders from Mississauga’s key growth sectors — life sciences, advanced manufacturing (including automotive and aerospace) and technology.
Discussions focused on the impacts of American tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs on local businesses and “explored actionable ways the city can provide meaningful support during this challenging period,” city officials said, noting businesses were also looking to tap into financial supports, if and when needed, from senior levels of government as well.
Participants also talked about opportunities for city-led initiatives and aligning with federal and provincial governments as part of a “Team Canada” approach.
Parrish pointed out at the time that Mississauga owns Ontario’s second-largest economy and Canada’s seventh-largest city is home to more than 100,000 businesses employing some 500,000 people.
Mississauga officials added in early 2025 that “insights gained from the roundtable will directly inform the city’s broader response plan, Mississauga Partners in Trade, aimed at strengthening economic resilience, safeguarding jobs and enhancing competitiveness for the future.”
— with files from The Canadian Press
Trump’s 3 day pause further increases stress, particularly for our small and medium-sized businesses. Mississauga’s Economic Development Department is reconfirming policies to ‘buy Canada’, ‘buy Ontario’ and ‘buy local’ in procurement policies – to strengthen our local economy. pic.twitter.com/6fkEXl5HsV
— Mayor Carolyn Parrish (@carolynhparrish) August 19, 2026
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