By Mark Squibb
The City of Mount Pearl has adopted new measures in response to significant tariffs levied against Canada by U.S. President Donald Trump.
The measures include a review of the City’s procurement policy to prioritize Canadian-made goods and services, a cross departmental review to identify alternative sources for goods and services that are currently directly or indirectly sourced from the U.S., an emphasis on the 10 per cent local preference section of the Public Procurement Act in order to support local businesses where feasible, a restriction on travel to the U.S. for either City business or professional development, regular reevaluations of the financial impact of tariffs on the 2025 budget (including whether major capital projects should proceed or be out on hold,) and a commitment to support any provincial or federal initiatives.
Mayor Dave Aker said while the City only spends about $150,000 on direct purchases from the U.S. yearly — typically on software and licensing agreements — the challenge will be to dig deeper to determine which suppliers purchase products from the U.S., and to what extent.
“We’re working together as a community of government on behalf up our people to ensure that we stand up to what many people would call economic warfare against our country,” said Aker.
The mayor also suggested the City ought to help local export businesses looking to cut ties to the U.S. in favour of other markets.
Councillor Jim Locke reiterated Aker’s claims about the difficulty of untangling an economy that is so tied to the U.S. and said he hopes the impacts are not as bad as folks fear.
Councillor Bill Antle, meanwhile, expressed his disbelief at the situation, while councillor Mark Rice expressed his appreciation for the hard work put in by staff compiling financial data and information behind the scenes.