The Airforwarders Association (AfA) is calling on the governments of the United States and Canada to return to the negotiating table before Canadian retaliatory tariffs covering USD 27.6 billion in U.S. imports are due to take effect on September 8.
The association is warning that another round of tariffs could create additional costs for companies moving goods across one of the world’s most important trading borders, with wider implications for supply chains, investment and employment.
“Another round of tariffs will add costs for businesses moving goods across one of the world’s most important trading borders, with consequences for supply chains, investment, and jobs,” said Brandon Fried, Executive Director of the Airforwarders Association.
“Both governments need to get back around the negotiating table before this dispute escalates further.”
The potential impact comes against a backdrop of already weaker freight activity. An AfA survey of its members published in February found that 83 percent of forwarders had experienced lower shipping volumes as a direct result of U.S. import tariffs. More than half of respondents also reported changes to customer supply chains and shipping routes.
For the association, the findings demonstrate the practical consequences of prolonged uncertainty for the freight forwarding industry.
“Forwarders are already seeing what prolonged trade uncertainty means on the ground, and further tariffs risk putting additional pressure on costs, prices, and employment,” Fried said.
The latest dispute is unfolding as uncertainty continues around the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which supports nearly USD 2 trillion in annual U.S. goods and services trade across North America.
The AfA stressed that the three economies remain closely connected through highly integrated supply chains and commercial relationships.
“The United States, Canada, and Mexico have built highly integrated economies and supply chains, and preserving that relationship matters for businesses and consumers across the continent,” said Fried.
While acknowledging that disagreements between the three countries are inevitable, the association argued that they should be addressed through negotiations rather than through successive rounds of tariffs.
“Disagreements will arise, but they should be resolved through negotiation rather than an escalating cycle of tariffs,” Fried added.
The Airforwarders Association said it will continue working with policymakers on trade policy and monitoring its impact on freight forwarders, their customers and the wider U.S. economy.
