Brendan Copestake, the owner of Jillian Ross Print, a collaborative print and art studio in Saskatoon, described the impact of the trade war between Canada and the U.S. as disastrous. He revealed that his studio has artwork valued at $75,000 stuck at a customs warehouse due to the new tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Despite sending the artwork before the tariffs were implemented, Copestake’s American customer refused to pay an additional $35,000 upon arrival at the border. This situation has led to multiple artworks being held in customs and now being returned as American clients decline to pay the 50 per cent tariffs.
Following Washington’s tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods with 50 per cent duties in August, Canada retaliated with counter-tariffs affecting over 700 American products, taking effect on Tuesday.
Copestake highlighted the challenges faced by Canadian artists, emphasizing that a significant portion of their market is U.S.-based. The imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on their artworks could potentially result in a loss of their customer base.
While Ottawa is providing tariff relief to various companies nationwide, including Great Western Brewing in Saskatoon, Copestake expressed that his studio does not qualify for such assistance.
Great Western’s chief financial officer, Brendan Halbgewachs, acknowledged the impact of increased raw material costs on their business and expressed gratitude for the government’s support.
Copestake expressed frustration at the lack of federal support for micro-businesses like his, emphasizing the eligibility criteria that many small businesses fail to meet.
Some Saskatchewan businesses are caught in the middle of the Canada-U.S. trade war as Tuesday’s Canadian tariffs loom, including this art printmaker facing the loss of U
