Trump tariffs: mixed reactions in Quebec to U.S. Supreme Court ruling

Wood is stacked at the Marcel Lauzon sawmill on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in East Hereford, Quebec. (Robert F. Bukaty/AP Photo)

The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate many of President Donald Trump’s tariffs has been met with a rather mixed reception in Quebec, as the steel, aluminum, and lumber sectors remain subject to U.S. tariffs.

Economy Minister Jean Boulet said the government will analyze the impact of the decision by the highest court in the United States.

“At first glance, its effects on Quebec appear to be limited,” he said Friday on social media, noting that Quebec exports that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CUSMA) were already exempt.

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“U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber, and other key sectors remain in place and continue to weaken our industries, jobs, and regions,” Boulet said.

The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to justify his “reciprocal” tariffs and fentanyl-related duties imposed on Canada, Mexico, and China.

The court thus limited his widespread use of national security provisions to redirect international trade. This setback for the White House tenant does not prevent him from using other mechanisms to impose sectoral tariffs on industries such as steel, aluminum, automobiles, wood, and others.

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Stakeholders from Quebec’s economic and labor circles have pointed out that Friday’s ruling is far from ending the trade war with our southern neighbours.

CSN President Caroline Senneville is among them.

“We welcome this decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, but not everything has been resolved for the Quebec economy. A significant number of U.S. tariffs continue to affect several of our sectors, such as aluminum, steel, copper, and forest products,” she said in a written statement.

Julie White, president and CEO of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters, agrees.

She calls for “finding sustainable solutions for the sectors still affected if we want to support our businesses.”

While the Supreme Court’s ruling “is a victory for American consumers and trading partners ... future access to the American market remains uncertain,” says the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI).

“Although this decision is excellent news for free trade, its impact on Canada remains limited and we are not out of the woods yet,” said Gabriel Giguère, a senior policy analyst with the MEI, in a press release.

In addition, the review of the USMCA scheduled for this year still hangs over Canada-U.S. relations, the MEI pointed out.

In this context of renegotiation, the CSN president calls on Ottawa to defend the sectors still affected by sectoral duties and to “increase its support for the industries and workers affected.”

It should be noted that tariffs on Canadian imports of steel, aluminum, and related products to the United States are 50 per cent. Those on Canadian lumber are 10 per cent, in addition to countervailing duties of 35 per cent.

‘A lot of uncertainty’

The U.S. Supreme Court’s findings are “good news for companies that import from the United States, as the tariffs were driving up costs,” says the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce.

“On the other hand, for companies that export to the United States, the decision adds uncertainty, as the Trump administration has already indicated that it is prepared to use other levers in the event of a defeat in the Supreme Court,” it said on social media.

Rosemarie Bégin, senior director of economics and public policy at PWC Canada, also sees “a lot of uncertainty.”

“Donald Trump will want to rebuild his tariff wall. This could mean new measures that may have a broader scope,” she said in an interview.

In response to the decision, the U.S. president announced his intention to impose global tariffs of 10 per cent under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. These can only remain in place for 150 days, unless Congress votes to extend this period.

Geneviève Dufour, a full professor at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Law, confirms that the court’s decision changes nothing for key sectors of the Quebec economy, except to anger the U.S. president.

“Mr. Trump may decide to target certain sectors more aggressively. He may also target certain partners. We can’t predict what he’s going to do,“ says the holder of the Research Chair in Sustainable, Responsible, and Inclusive Trade Law.

”Clearly, the press conference he gave this afternoon leads us to believe that he is very angry, and I have a feeling that it won’t end there," she continues.

The legal vehicles he wants to use to impose tariffs will not necessarily be appropriate, says the expert. Citing colleagues, she indicates that challenges to the use of Section 122 are already to be expected.

Friday’s developments reinforce the importance of business diversification, Bégin argued.

“There is this idea that we must focus on the resilience of our economy, and in my opinion, that trajectory should not change. We advise our clients to continue diversifying their markets and finding new opportunities,” she says.

— With information from the Associated Press

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 20, 2026.

By Frédéric Lacroix-Couture