Seems like the City of Barrie will be quick to respond to premier’s Ford request for municipalities to adopt measures to fight the US.. tariffs.
Earlier this Tuesday, Premier Ford proposed removing US products from store shelves and wholesale, and ripping up the contract with Starlink, besides banning all U.S.-based companies from participating in Ontario procurement and asking municipalities to do the same.
Tomorrow, Barrie will respond with its own set of municipal-level countermeasures. With Barrie now on board, the movement is gaining momentum at the municipal level.
Mayor Alex Nuttall used strong mayor powers to enact immediate procurement restrictions against American vendors.
“Barrie stands with our provincial and federal partners in defending our economic sovereignty and supporting Canadian businesses,” said Nuttall.
“These tariffs harm our workers, our industries, and our ability to operate fairly in international markets. We will not sit idly by while local jobs and businesses are put at risk.”
Besides implementing a ban on new procurement contracts with U.S.-based vendors, Barrie is also removing existing U.S. vendors from its preferred supplier list for municipal projects.
The policy will remain in effect unless the federal or provincial government directs otherwise or until the tariffs are rescinded.
The city’s Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), along with key financial and infrastructure officials, have been authorized to allocate additional funds to counter any financial strain resulting from the tariffs.
City staff will provide quarterly financial updates to assess the impact of the measures.
Mayor Nuttall’s directive leaves the door open for additional measures in case things escalate.
If additional tariffs hit, Barrie’s next move could be raising procurement thresholds, making it even harder for American companies to bid on city contracts.
“If these tariffs persist for more than six months, we will revise our Procurement By-law accordingly to ensure that Barrie remains aligned with federal and provincial strategies,” the directive from the mayor’s office reads.
The tariffs on Canadian exports target key sectors such as steel, aluminum, and consumer goods, and could drive up costs for municipalities relying on American suppliers.
