US-Canada Tariff Standoff Continues: Canada Adjusts Countermeasure List, Imposes 50% Tariff on Copper Wire, Charcoal, and Other Goods

The US-Canada trade war continues, with Canada adjusting its previously announced counter-tariff list against the US.

On August 27 local time, the Canadian government further adjusted the range of goods under its approximately $20 billion equivalent countermeasure framework, adding US-manufactured copper wire, charcoal, and other goods to the 50% counter-tariff list. The updated list also newly includes certain glass containers, printed images, and gypsum bricks from the US. At the same time, Canada has removed fish and seafood products from the counter-tariff list.

This adjustment is still part of the overall countermeasure plan released by the Canadian government on August 25. Previously, Canada announced that starting from September 8, it would impose varying counter-tariffs of 15%, 25%, and 50% on approximately CAD 27.6 billion (about USD 20 billion) worth of US goods, responding “dollar-for-dollar, rate-for-rate” to the US's prior imposition of 50% tariffs on Canadian goods. According to the latest list from the Canadian Ministry of Finance, the countermeasures cover multiple sectors including steel, aluminum, furniture, apparel, electronics, and machinery equipment.

According to Bloomberg, a spokesperson from the Canadian Ministry of Finance confirmed that copper wire and charcoal have been added to Canada’s draft online list for counter-tariffs, and certain US glass containers, printed images, and gypsum bricks are now also subject to the 50% tariff category. Meanwhile, on Wednesday night, Canada announced that fish and seafood would be removed from the countermeasure list. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated on Thursday that this decision was made after consultations with the domestic fisheries industry.

Copper Wire and Charcoal Added to 50% List, Fish and Seafood Removed

The most noteworthy change this time is that Canada has included US copper wire and charcoal in the 50% tariff list.

The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that these relevant products have already been included in the online list of goods proposed for counter-tariffs. This means that US copper wire and similar goods entering the Canadian market will face an additional tariff of up to 50%.

Besides copper wire and charcoal, Canada is also bringing certain US glass containers, printed images, and gypsum bricks under the 50% tariff rate.

From the product structure, Canada is not simply expanding the counter-tariff rates to all US goods; rather, it continues to fine-tune the specific product composition within the overall size of around $20 billion.

In contrast to the above goods being added, fish and seafood are being removed from the countermeasure list.

On Wednesday night, the Canadian government announced the removal of countermeasures on these products. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated on Thursday that the government made the decision after consulting the domestic fisheries sector.

This adjustment demonstrates that while Canada is maintaining the overall scale of its countermeasures, it is also dynamically adjusting specific products based on the actual conditions of its domestic industries.

“Dollar-for-Dollar, Rate-for-Rate” Retaliation, Doubling of Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

This adjustment is still based on the “dollar-for-dollar, rate-for-rate” retaliation framework announced by Canada on August 25.

Previously, the Canadian government said it would impose counter-tariffs of 15%, 25%, and 50% on about 700 types of US goods starting September 8, for a total scale of about CAD 27.6 billion—or roughly USD 20 billion—matching the scope of US tariffs on Canadian goods.

Among these, the counter-tariff on US steel and aluminum products previously set at 25% would be raised to 50%, and US-made furniture, apparel, and garments also face the 50% tariff rate.

Additionally, household appliances, cheese, fish and seafood, as well as some steel and aluminum derivatives, were previously included under the 25% tariff category; some machinery, industrial tools, and agricultural equipment are subject to a 15% tariff.

Now, the addition of copper wire, charcoal, and some glass containers to the 50% tariff list means Canada is still recategorizing specific goods around its overall goal of “equivalent retaliation.”

The Canadian government previously emphasized that the purpose of these countermeasures is not merely to increase fiscal revenue, but to help Canadian businesses and workers impacted by US tariffs maintain their market share.

US-Canada Negotiations Break Down, Tariff Measures Enforced by Both Sides

The backdrop for Canada’s ongoing adjustments to the countermeasure list is the collapse of US-Canada trade talks at the last minute on August 21, last Friday.

Previously, US President Trump signed a related proclamation on July 20 under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, imposing a 50% tariff on hundreds of designated goods imported from Canada—including wine, hockey sticks, and cement—with the measures coming into effect on August 22.

The two countries had originally attempted to reach an agreement before the tariffs were implemented, but failed to settle by the deadline. After the US began implementing the 50% tariffs on August 22, Canada officially announced its specific countermeasures against about $20 billion in US goods on August 25, to take effect on September 8.

Therefore, the addition of copper wire, charcoal, and other goods to the list is not a sudden expansion of retaliation by Canada, but a further adjustment within its already announced $20 billion countermeasure framework.

Ongoing Adjustment of Countermeasures; September 8 Becomes a Key Date

As Canada continues to revise its list of targeted goods, the cross-border tariff standoff is extending beyond the initial focus on steel and aluminum to more specific products like copper wire, charcoal, and glass containers.

For Canada, in order to keep the overall scale of retaliation roughly matched with US actions, decisions over which goods receive the 50% tariff and which are excluded are not simply matters of trade policy, but also involve the cost and benefit distribution across various domestic industries.

The removal of fish and seafood, alongside the addition of copper wire and charcoal, exemplifies this approach: Canada aims to maintain reciprocal retaliation against the US while minimizing unnecessary harm to domestic industries.

Currently, Canada plans to officially implement the new round of counter-tariffs on September 8, while further US tariff threats against Canadian automotive and other industries remain a significant variable in the trade relationship between the two countries.

With no breakthrough in trade negotiations, September 8 will become a key date to monitor whether both countries’ tariff measures are fully implemented and whether the trade war escalates further.