Key figures from the Fréchette administration and Quebec’s leading economic stakeholders are meeting Thursday in Montreal to discuss the new 50 per cent U.S. tariffs that could take effect next week. At the start of this closed-door meeting—to which the media had access for the first five minutes Thursday morning—the premier made no secret that imposing these additional tariffs would “quite significantly” disrupt the Quebec economy. “Up to 9 per cent of our exports could be affected by these tariffs. That amounts to a potential impact of $7 billion, so it’s colossal,” said Christine Fréchette before a dozen representatives from particularly affected sectors, including Jean Simard, president and CEO of the Aluminum Association of Canada. Also at the round table were representatives from, among others, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, the Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce, the Quebec Employers’ Council, and Investissement Québec. Fréchette asked them to continue working “in close collaboration” with the CAQ government and “to stay connected, just as we have been since the very beginning of this tariff war.” “The important thing is that we fully understand the nature of the threats you face if these tariffs are imposed and the kind of support you expect from the government. I know that many businesses could be in survival mode if these tariffs are implemented,” she emphasized. The premier, however, sought to be reassuring. “We are in contact not only with you, but also with the federal government and the U.S. administration. Negotiations with the federal government are ongoing, and we expect these negotiations to intensify over the next few days. We still have a few days left,” said Fréchette, referring to the Aug. 19 deadline set by the Trump administration for these new tariffs to take effect. She emphasized that “there are lines that must not be crossed when it comes to supply management and also the protection of our culture and our language.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 13, 2026.
