Canadian cities should block American companies from bidding on contracts if Trump imposes tariffs
Greater Toronto Area – GTA Regional Councillors Rowena Santos and Chris Leahy are calling on Canadian municipalities to consider blocking American companies from bidding on municipal contracts if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on Canadian exports.
Additionally, they want all Ontario provincial party leaders running in the February 27th election to commit to supporting a province-wide ban on US bids in the municipal procurement process, if Trump imposes tariffs.
Santos, who is a Councillor in the City of Brampton has proposed a change to the city’s procurement policy in order to block American companies from bidding on contracts. The motion unanimously passed at council. Find the motion here.
“My motion is a shot across the bow. But if the Trump administration goes forward with its proposed tariffs on February 1, 2025 as they have indicated, then we should shoot for the hull of their boat, not just the bow,”
Santos and Leahy are leading a municipal response to the Trump tariff threats with an organization called www.FromCitytoCity.ca. The organization has been running digital ads targeting US decision makers which started on January 20th, the day of the presidential inauguration.
Leahy added, “If they go low, we have to punch harder. We do not want one single Canadian job to be lost to this foolish endeavour of President Trump. I will be submitting the same motion as Councillor Santos at Durham Region council and my local Whitby council later today.”
Municipalities are creatures of the provincial government and procure billions of dollars of services and products every day, much of it from sources in the United States. Today marks day one of a 28-day provincial election to be held on February 27, 2025.
Leahy and Santos added, “We believe provincial party leaders should support a municipal ban on US bids in the procurement process. This would be an additional arrow in the quiver of Team Canada.”
Leahy and Santos intend on submitting a written request to the main party leaders in the coming days.
