Mississauga Partners in Trade

The City of Mississauga is committed to supporting local businesses, entrepreneurs, and residents through uncertainty and disruptions from changes in US trade policy and will continue to monitor and regularly update this page.

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August 25, 2026:

With the suspension of trade negotiations between Canada and the US, as of August 22, 2026, the US has imposed new tariffs on a range of Canadian goods under Section 338. While CUSMA remains in force, these new tariffs apply regardless of CUSMA compliance. Most other Canadian exports that qualify under CUSMA continue to enter the US duty-free. A full list of products currently subject to US tariffs is available here.

Effective September 8, 2026, Canada is expanding its countermeasures on US imports in response, largely targeting the same sectors affected by the Section 338 tariffs. A full list of US products subject to Canadian counter tariffs is available here.

The federal government is making $7.5 billion in new and enhanced funding and support available to help Canadian workers and businesses affected by tariffs through a range of programs. Businesses are encouraged to consult available tariff support measures (available here) and the resources listed below.

Please find below a list of resources that can help you stay informed and respond to trade flow disruptions with the U.S.

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Ontario Together Trade Fund: up to $5 million in grant or loan funding and advisory supports to help tariff-impacted Ontario manufacturers scale production, re-shore critical supply chains, develop new markets, and enhance competitiveness in interprovincial trade.
Regional Tariff Response Initiative (RTRI): up to $3 million in grants, $10 million in loans, and $2 million in liquidity supports to help businesses overcome trade disruptions across all sectors, especially those impacted by tariffs.
Strategic Response Fund: up to $5 billion in federal funding to strengthen domestic production and competitiveness in strategic, tariff-impacted sectors. Includes a new $2 billion stream, the Canada Strong Diversification Fund, for shovel-ready capital projects at tariff-affected businesses.
Protect Ontario Financing Program: up to $1 billion in loan funding for Ontario businesses facing tariff-related working capital challenges.
Large Enterprise Tariff Loan Facility (LETL): offers a minimum $60 million loan to large Canadian businesses that are affected by existing and potential new tariffs and are facing difficulties in accessing traditional sources of market financing.
Pivot to Grow Loan: Offers competitively priced loans of up to $5M through Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), including a liquidity stream for businesses affected by tariffs, including in their supply chains.
Trade Disruption Customer Support Program: Canadian agriculture and food businesses can receive additional support through Farm Credit Canada, which is offering new lending options to manage cash flow and adjust to shifting market conditions.
Tariff Remission Process: Provides relief from tariffs imposed by the Government of Canada in response to U.S. trade measures. Businesses facing exceptional hardship due to countermeasures can apply for remission of duties.
Workforce Retention and Retraining Program (WRRP) combines the EI Work-Sharing program and Worker Retention Grant, helping employers retain workers through reduced-hours agreements while supporting income stability and training. Employers can access up to $1,000 per participant for training and administrative costs.

Invest Mississauga – Business Funding & Support Finder: Invest Mississauga has partnered with Fundica to provide businesses with an easy way to find funding in Canada. Through its proprietary search tool and intelligent filtering, Fundica helps entrepreneurs and businesses find grants, tax credits, other tax incentives, loans, loan guarantees, equity and accelerators. Access this Business Funding and Support Finder and discover a growing list of resources aimed to address your business needs.

Trade Impact Program: Provides $5 billion over two years to help Canadian exporters expand into new international markets and manage financial challenges caused by tariffs.
Tariff Finder: A tool that helps businesses find import and export tariff information for specific products in Free Trade Agreement (FTA) markets.
CanExport SMEs Grant: Government of Canada funding streams to support businesses explore new opportunities abroad and connect with international research partners (Deadline: May 29th 2026).
Canadian Pavilion Program: Supports Canadian food and beverage companies participate in international trade shows to gain exposure in new markets.

Made in Canada Directory: Directory of Canadian-owned products and companies.
Ontario Made Directory: Directory of Ontario made products.
ByCanada.tech: Directory of Canadian startups, products, and businesses.
Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council: Connects Aboriginal and minority owned businesses to procurement opportunities with companies and governments.
Trillium Manufacturing Network: Interactive map highlighting Ontario-based manufacturing companies.
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, CME: Business intelligence and advocacy initiatives for the manufacturing industry.

Export Development Canada (EDC): Offers financing, equity and insurance solutions, and business connection services for businesses looking to expand into new global markets.
Trade Commissioner Service: Offers market intelligence, trade missions, and business advisory services to support Canadian businesses interested in exporting across the globe.
Global Affairs Canada: Provides export market intelligence, trade agreements, and business development services to help businesses navigate international trade.
Forum for International Trade Training (FITT): Provides export-import training and certification services to help businesses successfully navigate global trade. Endorsed by the Government of Canada, EDC and Trade Commissioner Service.
Women Exporters Program: Supports women-led businesses in expanding internationally through trade and e-commerce opportunities.
Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, EMC: Business intelligence and networking services for the manufacturing industry.
Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, CME: Business intelligence and advocacy initiatives for the manufacturing industry.
Ontario Chamber of Commerce: 10 Tips for Ontario Small and Medium Enterprises to Stay Competitive.

Trade and US Tariff Information & Support Events

AUG

19 The Case for Reconnecting Canada’s Manufacturing Economy by EMC

1:00 PM – Virtual

AUG

19 Managing Trade Risk in the US and Mexico by EDC

1:00 PM – Virtual

AUG

26 All Sectors - Tariff and Support by EMC

1:30 PM – Virtual

SEPT

10 Unlocking CPTPP Free Trade Agreement for Canadian Businesses by TRBOT

12:00 PM – Virtual

SEPT

17 Powering Morocco's Smart Factory & Mobility Revolution by Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade (MEDJCT)

9:00 AM – Virtual

SEPT

17 Cash Flow Planning for Export Growth by EDC

1:00 PM – Virtual

NOV

10 Mississauga International Trade Summit 2026: The Future of Global Trade & Market Diversification by Mississauga Board of Trade (MBOT)

8:00 AM – In-Person

Mississauga's Response

Nov 24th – Mississauga’s Partners in Trade Response Presentation: Click here to view the slides.

While trade policy is outside municipal jurisdiction, the City is taking action to support local businesses and residents. Efforts include outreach to affected businesses, helping them access available resources, and advocating to higher levels of government. The City has also launched the Choose Canada initiative to encourage buying Canadian-made products and services and will amend its Procurement By-law to prioritize Canadian and non-U.S. suppliers while supporting local, diverse, and small businesses.

Read Mayor Parrish’s statement on U.S. tariffs here.

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