Businesses and unions watch CUSMA review as July 1 nears

Businesses, labour groups and provincial leaders are preparing for the start of the CanadaU.S.Mexico Agreement review on July 1, with concerns focused on tariff pressure and trade uncertainty. Ontario Premier Doug Ford is travelling to the United States again to meet lawmakers and business groups as Canadian stakeholders push for stability in the trade relationship. Union and industry leaders say the review should not be treated as a hard deadline, but as a checkpoint in a longer process. Labour and business representatives say tariffs on sectors such as autos, steel, aluminium and forestry have weighed on investment and exports over the past 18 months. They are urging negotiators to protect key industries, keep the agreement trilateral and rulesbased, and work toward removing tariffs while preserving jobs and economic certainty.