President Donald Trump signed a new round of tariffs Monday, slapping an additional 50 percent duty on a variety of Canadian imports that the White House says are tied to Canada's "discriminatory" trade practices.
According to a senior administration official, the tariffs will affect a broad mix of products, ranging from "wine to hockey sticks to cement."
The tariffs were issued under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and will take effect 30 days after they're signed.
Administration officials argued the move is a response to Canada's ongoing trade policies toward the United States.
"Over the past year, Canada has retained substantial retaliation against the United States as the U.S. imposes trade actions to reindustrialize, reshore, and support its manufacturing," the senior administration official said. "Specifically Canada has to be held accountable for this continued discrimination."
Officials said Trump signed three separate Section 338 actions, including measures targeting what the administration says is Canadian discrimination against U.S. motor vehicles, dairy products and alcohol.
The new tariffs will apply to covered goods whether or not they qualify under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
The announcement comes just days after Trump suggested he could impose tariffs on Canada over the country's handling of wildfires that have blanketed parts of the United States with smoke.
Trump met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the FIFA World Cup Final in New Jersey on Sunday. But according to the White House, trade wasn't on the agenda.
"Although the president and the prime minister met and they had a one on one, it was not a visit to talk about trade and tariffs from our perspective," the official said.
The administration also stressed that Monday's tariffs are not connected to the wildfire dispute, though officials acknowledged Trump has been presented with options related to that issue.
The latest action adds to the tariffs Canada is already facing. Canadian steel and aluminum products are currently subject to a 25 percent tariff, while softwood lumber carries a 10 percent tariff. A separate 12.5 percent tariff tied to forced labor concerns was added last month.
