Thursday March 13, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Legislation has been introduced to strengthen B.C.’s ability to respond quickly to threats of tariffs imposed on Canada by the United States, to grow a more self-reliant economy, and to defend workers and businesses.
Premier David Eby announced this outdoors behind the legislative buildings this afternoon, on the last day of the Legislative Assembly before a two-week spring break (MLAs now return to the House on March 31).
“President Donald Trump doesn’t care about the devastating effect his chaotic actions are having on Canadian and American families alike,” said Premier David Eby.
Eby called the scenarios in which this executive power would be used as “nightmare” situations brought on by the unpredictable US President Donald Trump. He mentioned a challenge to the Columbia River Treaty in that context.
“In the face of escalating attacks on our sovereignty that have included threatening to erase the Canada-U.S. border and taking our water, we are not backing down,” said Eby today.
“We are arming ourselves with the tools we need to respond swiftly, break down trade barriers within Canada and strengthen our economy.”
If passed, the economic stabilization (tariff response) act will enable the B.C. government to be nimble in its response, giving government time to develop more long-term responses, as the threat of tariffs evolves rapidly and unpredictably.
A focus on expanding interprovincial trade and moving procurement away from American vendors will help encourage greater reliance on goods and services made in Canada and increase opportunities for people and businesses in B.C.
Four things:
The act would give cabinet a strong set of targeted tools to fight back against Trump’s tariffs and counter the negative impact of tariffs on British Columbians and Canadians. If passed, the bill will allow cabinet to take action in the following ways:
- remove or amend barriers that impede interprovincial trade;
- impose tolls/fees on non-Canadian commercial vehicles using provincial public infrastructure such as highways;
- direct public-sector bodies to exclude U.S. suppliers when procuring goods and services; and
- temporarily make changes to cut red tape and regulations to take fast action to defend the B.C. economy from challenges brought on by continued threats.
People are angry:
“People throughout our province and country are angry at this unprovoked, unjust attack from our closest international friend and ally,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General. “The economic stabilization (tariff response) act will help strengthen our local economy and our ties to other provinces and territories, uniting us under the Team Canada banner. We continue to hope for this rift with the U.S. to be healed, even as we use our full legal authority to protect the people and interests of British Columbia and Canada.”
The act provides temporary authority to cabinet and will automatically be repealed by 2027 at the latest. The legislation also includes guardrails. For example, it does not allow government to override permitting processes or First Nations consultation. If passed, most of the legislation would take effect upon royal assent.
Many Canadians are already cutting back on travel to the US which is putting a dent in their tourism economy, said Eby today. In BC people have asked for all US liquor imports to be taken off BC Liquor Stores shelves (and private stores who may sell the product as long as BCL supplies last).
Procurement by core government, ministries and agencies must be guided by ‘buy Canadian’ first, as much as possible, said Eby. That refers back to his announcement about that on February 3.
Team Canada:
Eby said today that he hopes other premiers who take actions in the tariff trade war would ‘pick up the phone’ and let Eby know so there can be a boosted stronger impact.
Government links:
Government has responded to President Trump’s economic war with several targeted measures, including:
- pulling all American Liquor from BCLIQUOR stores: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025PREM0032-000187
- increasing the Canadian biofuel content in B.C. transportation fuels https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2025ECS0008-000147
- About B.C.’s response to U.S. tariffs: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs
===== RELATED:
- Canada maintains tariff counter measures heading into Washington meeting (March 13, 2025)
- Tariff war escalation: all US liquor products now off BC shelves (March 10, 2025)
- BC Budget 2025: Industry, education, business, climate change & opposition parties weigh-in (March 7, 2025)
- BC halts importation of US-made liquor products (March 6, 2025)
- NEWS SECTIONS: TARIFFS & TRADE | CANADA-NATIONAL | CANADA-USA