White House eases tariffs on some Canadian goods ahead of midterms

The White House will lift 50% tariffs on selected Canadian imports from 30 October while imposing duties on other products, adjusting its trade policy shortly before the US midterm elections. The exemptions include certain machinery, plywood sheets, paper products and refrigeration equipment, according to the administration.

The changes also remove some packing crates and boxes from the tariff list, while adding products including certain valves, carpets and waste materials. The announcement represents a reshuffling of the goods covered by the duties rather than an end to the wider trade confrontation between Washington and Ottawa.

Republican Senator Susan Collins, who faces a competitive re-election contest in Maine, announced the relief after pressing administration officials for exemptions. According to BBC reporting, she said the changes would benefit agricultural industries including blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers, bringing the dispute directly into a closely watched Senate campaign.

Collins has argued that Maine businesses depend on specialized Canadian equipment and packaging that cannot readily be sourced from American suppliers. The Associated Press reported that her office cited harvesting boxes used by wild blueberry growers as an example, highlighting how tariffs on imported supplies can affect businesses producing goods in the United States.

The White House framed the changes as an effort to reduce burdens on US commerce while maintaining pressure over what it describes as discriminatory Canadian trade practices. Its fact sheet said the administration was modifying duties imposed under Section 338, with the remaining covered goods subject to the tariffs regardless of their eligibility under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

The exemptions leave the underlying disagreement unresolved. The administration has accused Canada of unfair treatment of American products, while Ottawa has defended its countermeasures as protection for Canadian workers. The new product list therefore offers relief to some trading relationships while extending tariff exposure to others.

The timing adds a political dimension to the decision, with November’s elections determining control of Congress for the remaining two years of President Donald Trump’s term. Collins’ Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, criticized her response, arguing that she was seeking credit for limited relief from a trade policy that had increased costs for Maine residents.

Canadian officials, meanwhile, have signaled willingness to keep negotiating without presenting the exemptions as a broader settlement. In a statement reported by the BBC, internal trade minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada was assessing the changes and remained prepared to work toward a mutually beneficial trading relationship that respected Canadian interests.

The immediate next step is implementation of the revised tariff coverage on 30 October. Beyond that date, the outlook remains tied to negotiations: Collins says she will pursue further exemptions and a wider agreement, while Canada’s response indicates that selective relief has not resolved the larger dispute.