Mayor Convenes Roundtable as Trade Volatility Hits Local Businesses
AI-generated image · Bay Street Wire
The City of Toronto met with industry representatives to discuss the fallout from U.S. tariffs and Canadian countermeasures.
As first reported by the City of Toronto, the Mayor of Toronto held a roundtable discussion on September 18, 2026, to address the economic pressures facing local businesses resulting from U.S. tariffs and Canadian countermeasures.
Representatives from several sectors attended the meeting, including technology, construction, apparel, food processing, and manufacturing. According to the City of Toronto, participants highlighted challenges such as supply chain disruptions, rising costs, workforce impacts, investment uncertainty, and difficulties accessing new markets.
The City stated that the roundtable is a component of the Mayor’s Economic Action Plan in Response to U.S. Tariffs. The discussion focused on three primary objectives:
* **Intergovernmental Advocacy:** Pushing for a defined "Made in Canada" standard and a government commitment to buy Canadian products. * **Market Diversification:** Utilizing the City’s TradeTO initiative to provide practical solutions for export issues involving freight, containers, and logistics. * **Supply Chain Resilience:** Implementing a "Team Canada" approach to link businesses with Canadian suppliers through collaboration between labor organizations, industry partners, and all levels of government.
The City of Toronto noted that the feedback gathered will be used to shape future business support and enhance TradeTO. Currently, the City points to the Love Local campaign, business advisory services, and tariff support programs as existing resources for affected businesses.