‘Day-to-day war room’: B.C. premier outlines plans for province’s defence against tariffs

B.C. Premier David Eby says the province is prepared with immediate counter-measures after the U.S. announced it is slapping a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods and 10 per cent on energy.

“President Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs are a complete betrayal of the historic bond between our countries and a declaration of economic war against a trusted ally,” Eby said.

“As British Columbians, and as Canadians, we will stand strong and united in the face of this unprecedented attack.”

He says these measures include directing the BC Liquor Distribution Branch to immediately stop buying American liquor from “red states” and removing the highest-selling brands from those states from the shelves of the province’s liquor stores.

As well, he says he is directing the B.C. government and Crown corporations to buy Canadian goods and services first.

Eby says the provincial government is currently assessing private-sector projects to the tune of $20 billion and aims to get them approved as quickly as possible. These are expected to support 6,000 jobs in remote communities, the province says.

Government prepares three-point response to tariffs

Additional measures are being considered, and Eby says these could be introduced in the coming days and weeks.

“We won’t back down or be bullied into becoming another state,” said Premier Eby. “Our province is unified and resolute. We’ll never stop standing up for B.C. and Canada.”

In what it is calling a three-point approach to respond to the tariffs, the province says it intends to:

1. Implement tough counter-actions and reach out to American decision-makers;
2. Expedite projects to support industry and workers; and
3. Diversify trade products to reduce the province’s reliance on U.S. markets and customers.

‘Day-to-day war room’

Eby says a trade and economic security task force has been established, with the goal of bringing business, labour, and Indigenous leaders together. This force will be co-chaired by Vancouver International Airport’s Tamara Vrooman, Jonathan Price from Teck, and Bridgitte Anderson from the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.

“A new cabinet committee will act as a day-to-day war room, co-ordinating the whole-of-government approach the Province is taking to protect B.C.’s workers, businesses, and economy,” the provincial government said in a news release.

Preliminary assessment of the impact of the tariffs showed the province’s economy could lose almost $70 billion between 2025 and 2028. It could also lead to the loss of more than 120,000 jobs.

According to the province, 54 per cent of all exports in 2023 were sent to the United States, with wood, pulp, metallic mineral, and energy products combined making up 67 per cent of total exports.

The top five states for B.C.’s exports, the government said in a fact sheet, were:

• Washington ($9.8 billion);
• California ($3.2 billion);
• Illinois ($2.1 billion);
• Texas ($1.5 billion); and
• Oregon ($1.3 billion).

Other government leaders call on Eby to do more

Meanwhile, other leaders across the province are calling on the premier to do more amid the looming trade war.

BC Conservative Party Leader John Rustad says his party has laid out a 10-point tariff-response plan and is urging the NDP government to immediately put it in place to protect B.C.’s economy.

In a letter to Eby, Rustad lists some of the measures in his plan, including negotiating an agreement to remove interprovincial trade barriers, cutting the carbon tax, and reopening B.C. trade offices in foreign countries.

Meanwhile, City of Surrey mayor Brenda Locke says she wrote to Eby Sunday morning urging him to implement tax cuts and roll out a comprehensive relief package, similar to what was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, to support businesses and families.

Locke says Surrey has the largest border crossings on the West Coast and over 20 per cent of Surrey businesses have direct trade ties with the U.S. and the tariff leaves the city in a vulnerable situation.

With files from The Canadian Press and Angelyna Mintz.