As the political landscape in the United States evolves, Canadian businesses face new complexities—and new opportunities—in cross-border trade, taxation, foreign investment and industry regulations. Proactive strategies are key to staying ahead.

At Dentons, our integrated team of legal and public policy professionals across Canada and the US is actively tracking developments to help you anticipate and respond to these changes. Whether it’s understanding shifts in regulatory frameworks, mitigating risks or identifying growth opportunities, we provide real-time insights tailored to your business needs.

How we can help

Our cross-border team spans critical sectors, including:

• International Trade & Public Policy: Navigating new trade policies and geopolitical risks, assessing duty liabilities and related risks, Working with partners on possible relief
• Regulatory & Compliance: Adapting to changing and diverging continental regulations and industry standards
• Labor & Employment, Immigration: Managing workforce impacts across borders
• Tax, M&A, Corporate & Commercial, Banking & Finance: Structuring deals with evolving supply chain, tariff, tax and financial considerations
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution, Restructuring, Insolvency & Bankruptcy, Bilateral trade disputes and supplier disputes

Summary of our capabilities to help you navigate shifting tariff and USMCA policies

Additional resources

• Update on Bill 7: BC Government scales back emergency powers — Part 4 withdrawn for revisions
• BC Government tables sweeping emergency powers legislation in response to US tariff threats
  
• Key considerations to effectively navigate tariffs in cross-border M&A
• Foreign investment review enters trade war: Minister equates economic security with national security
• United States Imposes New Tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China Citing National Emergency Under The International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)
• US hits Canada, Mexico, and China with significant new tariffs – implementation delayed by 30 days for Canada and Mexico
• Energy regulatory trends to watch: Changes to environmental and energy regulation emissions cap and clean electricity regulations
• Trade alert - Planning for tariffs in 2025 (PDF)
• Managing your workforce in times of economic uncertainty

Navigating change: Live insights for dynamic times

Follow our insights and expert-led webinars to unpack the latest legal and policy developments impacting your business.

Starting Friday, February 7, we will be hosting a series of webinars on the latest developments and strategies for navigating the evolving trade landscape. To receive updates and access these sessions, please sign-up here.

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Border Talks webinar series

Canada: Canada-US trade relations are being faced with some of the most tumultuous times in decades. Our webinar series, Border Talks, provides timely updates on the evolving political, business, and legal landscape. Our integrated team of legal and public policy professionals across Canada and the US is actively tracking developments, and we are here to help you anticipate and respond to these changes.

Building under pressure: How tariffs are reshaping Canada’s construction landscape

April 23, 2025

Canada: Since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump’s administration has imposed a series of tariffs on almost all countries, including Canada. Beginning in early March 2025, the current US administration imposed 25% tariffs on key Canadian exports, including potash, steel and aluminum.

US administration takes aim at Canadian agricultural supply management (again)

April 9, 2025

Canada: US President Donald Trump is once again taking aim at Canada’s agricultural supply management system, a previous source of malcontent during the negotiation of NAFTA’s successor, the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), in 2018. Under supply management, certain Canadian commodity sectors—namely dairy, poultry and eggs—limit production and imports, and guarantee minimum prices to ensure stability for producers.

US announces “reciprocal tariffs”: No additional pain for Canada (for now)

April 3, 2025

Canada: As has been widely reported, the Trump administration has announced sweeping tariffs on all goods entering the United States, with additional so-called “reciprocal” tariffs applicable to many countries. The rest of the world now faces similar measures Canada and Mexico have been subject to since early March. It is expected that many countries will soon impose the kind of countermeasure tariffs Canada has already implemented.

China announces tariffs targeting Canadian agriculture and food products

March 21, 2025

Canada: On March 8, 2025, China’s commerce ministry announced it will apply a 100% tariff on Canadian canola oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25% duty on Canadian aquatic products and pork. The tariffs, which will go into effect on March 20, 2025, are being imposed in retaliation for Canadian tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and steel and aluminum products, introduced in October 2024.

New federal tariff support: What Canadian agri-businesses need to know

March 20, 2025

Canada: On March 7, 2025, the Government of Canada announced a suite of tariff support initiatives to help Canadian businesses weather the impact of potential tariffs imposed by the United States.

Foreign investment review enters trade war: Minister equates economic security with national security

March 7, 2025

Canada: Economic security considerations could apply to investments from any country, including US investors who until now have received a “light touch” in national security reviews. It is clear that the Minister’s statements and update to the Guidelines are closely linked to the US government’s imposition of draconian tariffs on all Canadian goods on March 4 and the adverse impact this could have on Canadian businesses.

US market access and cross-border operations for Canadian software companies: Areas to watch

February 19, 2025

Canada: This article outlines the key regulatory frameworks that support the ability of Canadian software companies to work in an integrated North America market.

Tariffs on the arts: The impact of Canada-US trade tensions on media and entertainment

February 13, 2025

Canada: Many breathed a sigh of relief in the late afternoon of February 3, 2025, when the news broke that President Donald Trump had halted, for 30 days, the imposition of tariffs on a wide range of Canadian products crossing into the United States, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau likewise announced a delay in implementing retaliatory tariffs on US products.

US hits Canada with sweeping tariffs and Canada retaliates – first shots fired in new continental trade war

February 2, 2025

Canada: On the afternoon of Saturday, February 1, 2025, the Trump Administration imposed sweeping tariffs on virtually all Canadian goods imported into the US. Later that evening, Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, announced counter-tariffs on US goods imported into Canada. The tariffs on both sides of the border are to take effect Tuesday, February 4 (with some Canadian tariffs coming into force 21 days later).