Read Mayor Roy's motion passed last night (Monday, February 3, 2025) at the Regular Council Meeting with unanimous support from Council in support of provincial and federal governments negotiations with the U.S government on trade tariffs:
Whereas the Windsor-Detroit border crossing is the busiest commercial border crossing between Canada and the U.S., handling approximately one-third of all trade between the two countries (about $1 billion per day); and
Whereas If Ontario were a standalone country, it would be the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner with a near-perfect balance in two-way trade totalling CAD $493 billion in 2023, employing millions of workers on both sides of the border.
Whereas the Ontario government estimates that the impact of the proposed tariffs on Canadian goods by the U.S. government could 450,000 - 500,000 Ontario jobs; and
Whereas Premier Doug Ford has outlined Ontario’s forthcoming Fortress Am-Can plan, which focuses on strengthening trade between Ontario and the U.S. focusing on key issues include national security, integrated and safe electricity grids, building out critical mineral supply chains and advanced manufacturing supply chains while bringing good jobs back home for workers on both sides of the border; and
Whereas the federal government has established the Canada-U.S. relations council to support the federal government as it deals with possible U.S tariffs that includes representatives from the auto sector, unions, industry and agriculture; and
Whereas trade between Ontario and the United States is very important to our residents and local economies and requires all levels of government to work together in the best interest of those residents.
Whereas according to data from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, across Ontario municipalities are expected to spend approximately $290 billion on infrastructure in the next 10 years; and
Whereas municipalities have traditionally been prevented by trade agreements from giving preference to Buy Canadian; and
Whereas many businesses in Whitby, including those in the manufacturing, automotive, and agricultural sectors, will face significant challenges because of U.S. imposed tariffs; and
Whereas the Town of Whitby is actively engaging with local businesses, the Regional Municipality of Durham and other lower tier municipalities (including the membership of the Ontario Big City Mayors caucus) to understand the potential impacts of proposed U.S. tariffs and to collaborate on strategies to strengthen the local economy; and
Therefore, be it resolved that, The Town of Whitby supports the provincial and federal governments efforts to strike a trade deal with the United States that will see a win for all involved when it comes to strengthening our economy and keeping Ontario jobs;
And that we call on the Prime Minister, federal ministers and the federal government’s newly established Canada-U.S. relations council to take any and all measures to protect the interests of Ontario in any upcoming trade negotiations;
And that we ask the federal and provincial governments to remove any impediments to municipalities preferring Canadian companies for capital projects and supplies.
Be it further resolved that copies of this motion be sent to:
The Right Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
The Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
The Hon. Melanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
The Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade
The Hon. Nate Erskine-Smith, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities
The Hon. Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
Josh Morgan, Chair, Big City Mayors’ Caucus and Mayor of London
Marianne Mead Ward, Chair, Ontario Big City Mayors and Mayor of Burlington
Robin Jones, President, AMO and Mayor of Westport
Karen Redman, Chair, MARCO and Chair, Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Durham Region Municipalities
Durham Region MPPs
Durham Region MPs
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