With U.S. tariffs looming, British Columbians urged to buy B.C. seafood
U.S. President Trump has promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canadian goods starting Feb. 1
The organization that represents fishermen and processors of wild-caught British Columbia seafood says with a 25 per cent U.S. tariff looming, it's more important than ever for consumers to buy local.
But even then, with over 60 per cent of all wild B.C. seafood sold in the U.S. — half a billion dollars worth — it says the campaign probably won't be enough to stave off a serious blow to the industry.
"I worry very much that we would be looking at layoffs in both processing plants and for fish harvesters. We would simply have to tie up vessels because there would not be a market," said Christina Burridge, B.C. Seafood Alliance executive director.
On Tuesday, a White House spokeswoman confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump intends to follow through on his tariff threat starting Feb. 1.
Trump promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs against Mexico and Canada in response to what he called the failure of both countries to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the borders.
B.C. Premier David Eby has also advised consumers to seek out Canadian products.
"When you are at the grocery store and you have a chance to buy a product right now, [look] carefully at the labels to support Canadian jobs and to support Canada at this critical time," he said.
Burridge went to Ottawa last Friday for urgent talks with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Agriculture Canada and Global Affairs Canada.
She said expanding the Canadian market for B.C. seafood is tricky.
"We would hope that people in B.C. buy more halibut and quite likely the price would be lower, which might be helpful. But I can't see selling a lot of our halibut to Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa because they have Atlantic halibut," she said. "But we'll be looking at everything that we can."
Canadian officials have been cycling through Washington in recent weeks to promote Canada's $1.3-billion border security plan and make the case that tariffs would hurt both economies.
The federal government and some provinces, including B.C., are also looking at relief packages to help businesses and industries affected by Trump's tariffs.
The B.C. Seafood Alliance represents 5,000 workers in the sector and is responsible for the majority of commercially harvested seafood in B.C., worth almost $1 billion in annual sales, according to the association's website.
with files from Meera Bains