“The whole situation with these tariffs and the terrible impact it can have on our businesses really highlights the importance of local and supporting local independent businesses in your communities where you live,” says Eric Napier Strong, director of the West Broadway BIZ. “I think we’re lucky that we already have so many strong independent, unique businesses.”
Napier Strong said that tariffs will increase the cost for basic supplies and materials, and likely those costs will show up “in the coming weeks.”
Buying local is one of the strategies being promoted by all levels of government, but expanding sales across the country is another. Currently, said Napier, certain products such as alcoholic and other food products can not be easily sold in a neighbourhing province without a lengthy, and onerous approval process.
Ramzey Zeid, manager of the Maryland Food Fare Grocery was watching the news closely when, on the day the tariffs were to take effect, February 1st, it was announced the tariffs will be postponed until March 1. “I think Trump was just trying to be a bully and didn’t expect anybody to retaliate,” he says. “Our goal should be to support companies and munifacturers that are local. Made in Manitoba first, and what we can’t get, go to other provinces. But I think our goal should be to keep everything in house.”
Oranges were slated to have a Canadian tariff applied to their sale in retaliation to the Trump tariffs, but its an item that Zeid has often offered for sale. “Because we have five stores we can buy in bulk and pass that on to our customers,” he said. Zeid said the tariffs might support more of a return to seasonal foods when they are at their peak, and taste the best, and are at their best price instead of bringing in items year-round.
“Everyone is kind of scrambling and as the details are uncertain, it’s been a real roller coaster,” said Joe Kornelson, director of the West End BIZ. “There are about 3000 jobs in the area that would have knock-off effects if there is a slow down in the area.”
Although there are many front-facing smaller businesses that provide services to the community, Kornelson said there are several larger manufacturing and construction businesses in the area.
Sometimes people call the West End BIZ zone its own city within the city.
“It was a pretty steep notification period,” said Paul Heide, general manager of Quest Metal, a manufacturer of custom stainless steel appliances and restaurant equipment in the West End. The company doesn’t do a lot of sales into the US, “but we do import from the US, so the impact would be availability of the goods and their cost.”
“There are lots of options, in terms of of how we can navigate that, but with no time, that’s what we were faced with on February 1st,” said Heide. “We are just in the early days now, need to make sure that we know where the risks are, and then we can reach out and start to work on plan to mitigate those.”
Heide said he appreciates the effort of the government to assist businesses, but said they are almost in the same boat as eveyone else.
“Hope is a great word,” said Heide. “I’m going to fight like hell for my business and my country.”
“Look for those opportunities in the neighborhood to buy locally made products, get your locally made kombucha instead of buying something imported, and just always think about that,” said Napier Strong.