US tariff threat looms over Canadian orchid growers and furniture makers

Section 338 of the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act threatens to impose duties on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods if a new Canada-U.S. trade agreement is not finalized. The measure would affect sectors from electronics to horticulture, prompting concerns from Ontario producers. Guann Chen, a third-generation orchid farmer operating a large greenhouse in St. Catharines, notes that nearly half of his Orchid Greens stock is destined for the United States and that a tariff would endanger his business model.

Furniture maker Lind Furniture, based in Woodbridge, relies on about 40 percent of its revenue from U.S. retailers and has already seen orders stalled, staff furloughed, and component prices rise. General manager Michael Saifer says the lingering uncertainty alone is harming the company, even before any duties take effect. Both firms illustrate how the looming tariffs could disrupt supply chains that depend on proximity to the U.S. market.