One city councillor will be bringing forward a motion to oppose the tariffs and advocating for strengthened cross-border trade relationships.
Ward 9 councillor, Kieran McKenzie, will be bringing the notice of motion forward at the upcoming city council meeting firmly opposing the imposition of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
Due to Windsor's pivotal role in Canada's automotive sector, the motion highlights the deep integration of the North American supply chain and the critical importance of free and fair trade.
McKenzie states that these tariffs threaten not only Windsor's industries but also the livelihoods of workers on both sides of the border.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs for Canada and Mexico, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, on Monday. On Wednesday, Trump stated Stellantis, Ford and General Motors would be exempt for one month. Then on Thursday, Trump announced he's pausing tariffs on some Canadian and Mexican goods, offering the countries another month-long reprieve.
McKenzie says he's hearing the fear from the community.
"It's across the board, and everybody is rightly concerned about the impact of the trade negotiations, and the imposition of the tariffs, it will impact all of us. And generally speaking, at least over the short term, if we see a short to medium term follow through on what's already been implemented, there's going to be some significant challenges for everybody in our region, we will all be impacted."
He says he wants to show city support to upper levels of government.
"Everybody has been mobilized, and working towards that same goal to get back to a normalized trade relationship with our most important trading partner - the United States. And so it's all hands on deck, and I wanted to make sure that we were communicating as a municipality to our partners and senior levels of government that we're on board."
McKenzie adds that it's important to continue to talk about the impact on both sides of the border.
"What is making a difference, and you see this now from the lobbying effort that's come from the U.S. automakers, is a clear communication to the White House about how challenging the tariff imposition is going to be for them, and the people on the United States side of the border, not just business but the people that are working in those businesses."
The motion calls on the federal and provincial governments to continue advocating for free trade, urging both nations to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve trade disputes. It also endorses a 'Buy Canadian' policy for municipal procurement, and prioritizing Canadian-made goods and services to support local businesses.
The notice of motion is expected to be presented to council during one of the two April meetings. Council's March meeting - for March 17 - has been cancelled.
Residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend the upcoming council meeting or share their feedback to show support for Windsor's commitment to free and fair trade.
-with files from AM800's The Dan MacDonald Show