Uxbridge and Stouffville held a joint town hall on Thursday, March 27, 2025, where local businesses agreed government overreach was a greater concern than the incoming U.S. tariffs.
The two municipalities planned this council meeting in response to the upcoming U.S. tariffs, inviting local businesses to voice their concerns.
Uxbridge Mayor Dave Barton and Stouffville Mayor Iain Lovatt listened to residents’ concerns for two hours.
The Canadian government has responded to Trump with tariffs of their own.
In a statement on March 4, 2025, the Department of Finance Canada announced they would impose 25 per cent tariffs on U.S. goods to the amount of $30 billion.
“Taxes are already huge, and this is just another way for the government to reach into our pockets,” said John Sangalli, owner of Cobra Metal, a local manufacturer.
Attendees agreed that the cost of regulations has been affecting them far more than the ongoing trade war.
Sangalli recently had to replace all his sprinkler systems that he said worked fine.
“I have to pay $10,000 to replace my sprinklers. My kids are my employees—they own houses. That’s money I might need for them,” said Sangalli.
The financial costs of regulations aren’t the only concern. Multiple business owners complained about the length of time it takes for their building permits to get approved.
Sangalli said he needed to wait three years for approval to build any expansions to his buildings, while another attendee – who did not want to give their name to the Chronicle – claimed it took “nearly seven years to get a shovel in the dirt.”
Mayor Barton said that when it comes to these regulations, the smaller municipal governments have little to no control.
“We are just the bringer of the bad news,” said Mayor Lovatt.
Lovatt said he wants these thoughts and ideas to go from Durham Region to Queen’s Park and from there all the way to Ottawa.
A minority of attendees thought the Canadian retaliation would only lead to a worse outcome, saying we must “play nice with Trump.”
This contrasts with the growing “Elbows Up” sentiment within Canada, including newly appointed Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Since the trade war started, there has been a growing “Buy Canadian” movement in Canada.
Even large subreddits – online forums on the social media site Reddit – have sprung up into popularity. The subreddit r/BuyCanadian has 350,000 subscribers and is steadily growing.
Other concerns, like a lack of skilled trade and loss of Canadian manufacturing were also mentioned during the town hall.
“A lot of manufacturing has been moving not just to the U.S. but to Germany as well,” said Dominik Kawnik, president of an international IT firm based in Markham.
Kawnik said he receives thousands of applications in the tech field, but he, Sangalli, and other attendees say there is a lack of skilled labour in Canada.
The mayors of both towns want businesses to know they are fighting for them.
“All your voices are important, and I will say what needs to be said for you,” said Barton.