Tariffs
Tomorrow the U.S. government will begin levying a 25% tariff on all (or at least most) Canadian goods entering the United States.
The Canadian government has announced its own set of reciprocal tariffs on American goods entering Canada, a list which is expected to grow if U.S. tariffs remain in place.
What Does it Mean?
Consumers will have to pay more for U.S. made goods, and in some instances will no longer be able to access said US made products at all.
Businesses which export to the US will be deeply impacted as their customers will face an overnight price increase of 25%. Many will be forced to discount their product to offset the tariffs and remain competitive, those who cannot sacrifice margin to compete will bleed market share to their US competitors and likely slash Canadian jobs.
This tariff exchange will ultimately serve to damage segments of both Canada and the US as our two countries are deeply economically intertwined. That being said, it will almost certainly be Canada, and Canadians, that will be made worse off as a result of these tariffs because our economy is far more dependent on the U.S. than vice versa.
What Can Be Done for Canada?
Unfortunate a situation as it is, there are steps that Canadians and Canadian businesses can take to limit their downside exposure to these tariffs.
Buy Canadian
Shop at Canadian-owned retailers who sell Canadian-sourced products
Retain capital in the local economy to build resilience to the tariffs
Choose Canadian-made options for food, clothing, etc.
Support Canadian producers and manufacturing- save Canadian jobs
Adjust Shopping Habits
Switch to tariff-free alternatives
Vacation Inside Canada
Vacationing in Canada will retain capital in our economy rather than sending it abroad
The more capital our economy can retain, the better off we will be
Stay Informed
Our neighbors to the south have levied these tariffs over several specific points of contention that the federal government has the power to change if they so desire
Put pressure on your local representatives of the government to address these issues with their American counterparts and to begin work insulating the Canadian economy from further downside potential
That means better interprovincial trade, substantively growing resource export capacity to markets beyond the U.S., and reducing or eliminating the anti-competitive taxes and red tape that burden our economy
What Steps Are We Taking at Molior Multo?
Production Pivot:
We are in the final stages of preparation to launch our revamped online store, the centrepiece of which will be a growing lineup of buckets and other attachments Made in Canada, by Canadians. These buckets and attachments will be available in any fitment pattern either in stock or with a 2-3 week production turnaround time from order date to ship date. Produced right here in Ontario using the most advanced and reliable processes, we have several different grading buckets, a trenching bucket, a rake, and an auger mount to marry our existing auger head to any machine. Right now we are looking to cover any make and model of machine under 2 tonnes, and the 2-4 tonne attachments are already being prototyped.
Delisting from Amazon
As a US company, even if it's being sold by Amazon.ca to a Canadian address, a part of every single sale departs our economy to the US. At a moment in time where preserving every dollar within the Canadian economy is of paramount importance, selling on Amazon is selling out Canada. Every bucket and attachment we sold on Amazon is now exclusively available on our website at moliormulto.com. Not only are they available, but we are also now able to extend to our customers substantially better shipping rates and more generous rotating discounts.
Vendor Audit
In addition to delisting on Amazon we have replaced a handful of online service vendors operating from the US and elsewhere where homegrown options were available.
Final Take
Canada and the U.S. are the greatest of allies, we've fought 2 world wars alongside the Americans, we fought in Korea alongside the Americans, and in the aftermath of September 11th we stood side by side in Afghanistan, where 158 Canadian heroes made the ultimate sacrifice. We share the largest border on earth, upon which the greatest volume of trade in the world transits. The relationship seems to have frayed at this moment in time, but we will always be intertwined. A strong Canada is of benefit to the Americans and vice versa.
In this moment we must stand together; buy Canadian, build Canadian, be Canadian.
If we can do that, we will emerge from this entanglement stronger than ever before.
Godspeed,
Keegan
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