From October 30, 2026, the U.S. is easing its 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods, including plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery, refrigeration equipment, and some packing crates and boxes.
The White House announced the change on Friday, October 23, 2026. The U.S. put a 50% levy on about $20 billion of Canadian goods after trade talks between the two countries collapsed in August, and Canada responded by matching the tariffs dollar for dollar. The relief is partial: the White House said it would also add tariffs on other items, such as carpets and waste products. Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who is in a close re-election race, first announced the exemptions and said she had lobbied for them. She said the products matter to Maine’s blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers. Canada’s internal trade minister, Dominic LeBlanc, said Canada is assessing the move and remains ready to negotiate a broader trade deal.
Source: BBC News, White House lifts tariffs on some Canadian goods as midterm elections loom
Image: Ambassador Bridge, Detroit, by Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.