US slaps import ban on Canadian alcohol, motorbikes and other goods
Here is the full article from BBC News:
By Osmond Chia, Business reporter | Published 9 September 2026, 00:42 BST
The US is banning a slew of Canadian products, including alcoholic spirits, dairy goods, and motorbikes, as Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods come into force. In a series of executive orders on Tuesday, President Donald Trump said Canada is “discriminating” against the US and outlined the import bans, which will begin on 29 September.
Earlier that day, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a video address that his country’s move away from the US as its largest trading partner “will come at a cost.” Both US and Canadian officials have said they would like to strike a trade deal, but no new talks have been scheduled since negotiations collapsed in late August.
The White House’s new sanctions are the latest strike in a months-long trade war between the two historically close allies. Generally more than two-thirds of Canada’s total exports go to its neighbour. Canada is the second-largest trading partner of the US, after Mexico, although its exports are far more diversified.
Business owners on both sides of the border have expressed fears over the trade war’s fallout, with many expecting prices of goods to rise and customer numbers to fall. Last month, the White House imposed 50% tariffs on around $20bn (£14.8bn) of Canadian goods after several rounds of talks broke down. Canada responded with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on US goods like steel, clothing, and furniture, which came into effect after midnight on Tuesday.
The White House said Canada is “discriminating” against US businesses by restricting American goods while not doing the same for the same products from other countries. Some products, like whey and non-alcoholic beer, have been banned from import entirely, while tariffs have been further hiked for others, including cheeses and motorboats.
Washington has targeted “significant industries” for Canada, including its politically influential dairy businesses. Trump has previously argued that Canada’s system — which has production quotas, set pricing, and import limits on dairy, eggs, and poultry — is unreasonable to US farmers.
Economics lecturer Scott French from the University of New South Wales said the import bans and new tariffs will put Canada’s leaders under more pressure to resist Trump’s demands for concessions. He said the trade war will be “costly for both sides due to the historical level of integration of the North American economy,” adding that consumers on both sides will end up as “the biggest losers.”
Trade expert Deborah Elms, from the Hinrich Foundation, told the BBC the import ban could have a “strong” impact on any Canadian business with US buyers, though early estimates show a “modest impact” affecting around $1bn worth of goods. Canada will likely “hold course for now” and adjust business support measures to account for the US’ latest moves, Elms said.
“The bigger question is what it will take for the two sides to sit back down together. The language in these proclamations, as an example, isn’t helpful in getting to the negotiating table,” she added.
Banned Canadian products include:
– Dairy products like whey
– Cane molasses
– Non-alcoholic beer
– A long list of wine, rum and vodka products
– Beer made from malt
– Motorbikes, including mopeds
Products facing higher import taxes include:
– Various types of cheese
– Raw hides and skins
– Paper
– Some furniture and mattresses
– Some metals, including aluminium and iron
– Motorboats
– Golf carts
– Fishing rod parts and accessories
– Switchboards
Carney said on Tuesday: “There’s always a cost to action. But it doesn’t come close to the cost of standing still.”
Tension between the US and Canada has also moved beyond tariffs. In August, Trump ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed as Lake America, resulting in uproar from Canadians and some in the US.
The article is available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c99dm1000p7o
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