The Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) used its annual advocacy day to call on the Government of Canada to make free and fair trade with the United States a top priority during the review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and in renewed negotiations with Washington.
The association said an integrated North American economy works, while tariffs on either side of the border raise costs for farmers, contractors, miners and builders that Canada relies on for economic growth.
Brian P. McGuire, AED president and CEO, said equipment that builds Canada is built, sourced and serviced on both sides of the border, and many components cross the border several times before a machine reaches a customer. He said every tariff, whether imposed by Washington or Ottawa, adds cost at each crossing, and those costs are ultimately paid by farmers, contractors, municipalities and Canadian families.
AED said it was disappointed in August that the two countries could not reach a trade agreement and has since increased advocacy on both sides of the border. In September, McGuire wrote to U.S. governors in states with significant exposure to Canadian trade, urging them to press for a return to the bargaining table. AED's U.S. members also met with more than 100 members of the U.S. House and Senate, and AED Canadian board member Brian Osterndorff recently presented the association's case to the Senate of Canada.
McGuire said the association's resolve remains strong and that equipment dealers and manufacturers in both countries agree free and fair trade is the best path to prosperity for the sectors they serve. He said AED aims to ensure Canadian decision-makers have the facts about what is at stake and to encourage efforts to get both governments back to the table.
Policy recommendations
- Seek tariff certainty and sector-specific relief. AED wants exemptions and clarified tariff relief for the heavy equipment industry as part of CUSMA discussions, and it called for all diplomatic channels to be used to prevent new tariffs on equipment and components.
- Avoid retaliation aimed at equipment. Tariffs and retaliatory tariffs on industrial goods hit Canadian farmers, contractors and resource producers first, according to AED. Any Canadian response should be carefully targeted and should not penalize the equipment Canadians use to build and produce, the group said.
- Establish clear rules for critical components. Engine parts, safety electronics and other specialized inputs often have no practical alternative supplier outside North America, AED said.
- Work with industry and labour. The association called for an assessment of the full impact of tariffs and for contingency measures to safeguard Canadian jobs and investment.
- Build resilience at home. AED recommended advancing critical infrastructure and supporting skilled trades training so Canadian industries can invest with confidence.
McGuire said the sectors governments rely on to build housing, develop critical minerals, strengthen energy security and feed Canadians all depend on reliable access to equipment and integrated North American supply chains. He described the equipment industry as enabling and said it is ready to be a partner to government.
He also warned that when customers cannot count on stable prices and stable trade rules, they delay purchases. When purchases are delayed, technicians lose work and projects Canada needs, from housing to critical minerals to food production, fall behind, he said.