A regional and Oshawa city councillor has responded to calls to support Canadian businesses and workers impacted by U.S. tariffs by saying what is needed is action and not talk.
“There is a lot of talk about buying Canadian; however I don’t see any action,” John Neal told Durham Post.
“I see the City of Oshawa and the Region of Durham are both making headlines regarding Buying Local, or Buy in Ontario, or Buy in Canada. During the 2026 budget deliberations at Oshawa Council, I made a motion to do exactly that and was ruled out of order. I even challenged the ruling as I believed, as well as my constituents, that it was important, so I don’t understand all a sudden the City of Oshawa thinks this should be policy now. The same with the Region of Durham,” said the councillor.
On Tuesday, Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter issued a statement (see below) on U.S. tariffs saying they will hurt on both sides of the border.
Yesterday, John Henry, Regional Chair and CEO said: “We’re deeply disappointed by the United States’ decision to proceed with targeted 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. At a time when businesses and workers on both sides of the border benefit from a strong economic partnership, these measures create uncertainty and put additional pressure on communities that rely on cross-border trade.”
Durham Economic Task Force
Henry said Durham stands with the federal government’s response and support measures to defend Canadian interests, workers and industries.
“Our top priority is protecting Durham Region businesses. To support these efforts, we’re bringing together the Durham Economic Task Force to assess the impact on businesses across Durham, explore ways partners can work together to provide support and ensure businesses have access to timely information and resources.
“Our history of innovation, resilience and manufacturing excellence gives us confidence that Durham Region will meet these challenges, and emerge stronger and more competitive.
“I encourage residents to support local businesses, choose Canadian-made products whenever possible and invest in the people that drive Durham Region’s economy,” Henry added.
One Threat After Another
“It’s one threat after another from the President. Now he wants to rename Lake Ontario ‘Lake America’? It’s not only absurd, it’s an insult to the history and identity of the communities like Ajax who share this Great Lake. This trade war may be about power for the president, but for local businesses, it’s about uncertainty, rising costs and real anxiety,” said Ajax Mayor Shaun Collier.
He said the town is focused on what we can control: protecting our local economy, supporting our businesses and standing up for Canadian jobs. “We continue to support a Buy Canadian approach, with 98 per cent of town purchase orders sourced from Canadian businesses.”
Collier said if a business or family is feeling the impact of these unnecessary trade actions, they are encouraged to contact the Ajax Advantage team. The town is applying for the new provincial Trade Impacted Communities grant and this week our team is visiting businesses that will be most impacted by an escalating trade war, to better understand their challenges and advocate for the support they need. Ajax will continue to stand behind our businesses, our workers and our local economy.
Time All Levels of Government Stand Together
Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy emphasized the need for all levels of government to stand together in defence of Canadian workers and businesses.
She said Whitby stands with its provincial and federal partners in supporting a united Team Canada response — and we recognize that municipalities have an important role to play.
“In early 2025, I established the Mayor’s Tariff Task Force, which brings together Town of Whitby staff and local business leaders to collaborate on Whitby-focused solutions. The task force continues to meet regularly, including earlier this month.”
Over the past 18 months, the Town of Whitby has amended procurement bylaws to prioritize Canadian goods and services and introduced restrictions preventing U.S. businesses from bidding on municipal contracts, she said.
Town staff are working closely with local businesses to connect them with resources, promote their products and services, and help them respond to changing economic conditions.
Connecting With Businesses
I also regularly visit Whitby businesses for one-on-one conversations so I can hear directly about the challenges they are facing, and advocate for the support they need, Roy said.
She pointed out that Whitby is fortunate to have exceptional partners in the Whitby Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Whitby Business Improvement Area. Their leadership will be increasingly important in the months ahead. There will undoubtedly be challenges as we navigate this period of economic uncertainty, but I am confident in the resilience of Whitby’s business community.
“I strongly encourage Whitby residents to support local and Canadian businesses whenever possible — every purchase matters,” Roy added.
Roundtable Being Organized
Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster said the municipality is organizing a roundtable on the impact of the escalating U.S. trade tariffs.
“We stand strong with our business community against these unjustified and senseless trade tariffs. For decades, the strength of Canada and the United States has depended on shared economic partnerships. Canadians and local businesses deserve better,” he said.
In the face of a worsening trade war, I’m working with our staff and the Clarington Board of Trade to convene a roundtable to hear directly from local businesses about how they are being impacted and how we can support them, Foster said.
Clarington continues to prioritize local procurement through the Clarington Vendor Directory, which connects local businesses with municipal opportunities. We buy local, buy Ontario, buy Canadian, whenever we can through procurement policies.
“Now more than ever, buy Canadian to support our workers, our businesses, and our nation,” he added.
Buy Local And Choose Canadian
Canada and the United States have long built their economic success on collaboration, shared prosperity, and strong cross-border partnerships. We cannot afford to lose sight of that,” said Scugog Mayor Wilma Wotten.
She said the recent U.S. tariff announcement and Canada’s response will have real impacts on businesses and families here in Scugog. Our local business community has our full support as Canada stands up against these unfair and counterproductive trade measures.
She said Scugog supports the federal and provincial governments’ Team Canada approach and will continue to champion procurement practices that prioritize local, Ontario, and Canadian suppliers whenever possible. Township Council has approved changes to our Procurement By-law to support Ontario and Canadian businesses, and we continue to support the province’s efforts under the Buy Ontario Act.
“I encourage all Scugog residents to buy local and choose Canadian products and services whenever they can. By doing so, we can support our workers, strengthen our economy, and build more resilient communities,” Wotten said.
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Trump tariffs will hurt both sides of the border: Oshawa Mayor