The following is a statement from Mayor Margaret Quirk on the U.S. tariff threat and Buy Canadian – Shop Local:
“In the wake of the United States plan to implement tariffs on Canadian goods, the Town of Georgina continues to support local businesses and is encouraging the community to do the same by choosing to Buy Canadian-Shop Local whenever possible. A motion will be introduced at the Council meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 5 that directs staff to review the merits of a Buy Canadian procurement policy.
These are different times. Decisions being made south of the border will hurt businesses, residents and communities. Town staff, along with the Georgina Chamber of Commerce, will work with upper-tier levels of government, industry associations and the Ontario Public Buyers Association to determine the impacts of these tariffs on procurement, businesses and residents throughout Georgina. We know these tariffs will impact businesses throughout York Region and Georgina not only in terms of supply chain, but also their ability to provide job opportunities that many of our residents rely on. We will continue to collaborate with our colleagues throughout York Region to seek any support possible.
There are more than 1,100 businesses in Georgina. These potential tariffs will impact everyone and serve as a reminder to buy Canadian and shop local first. As the Town and Chamber of Commerce collaborate on additional opportunities to support businesses, they will also be leveraging current campaigns including ‘Shop Local,’ ‘Grown in Georgina’ and ‘Georgina Made.’
The Town’s Economic Development team is reaching out to local major employers headquartered in Georgina that will be directly impacted by the pending tariffs. A dedicated webpage, georgina.ca/BusinessSupport, has been created outlining a number of resources for all businesses. As additional information becomes available, it will be made available on this page and communicated out.
As we have seen, this situation continues to change, and we are committed to responding and adapting as necessary to support our local business community.”