Latest news with #GuyOcchiogrosso
CTV News
06-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
As trade war drags on, fewer Canadians boycotting U.S. products: poll
"Buy Local" signs are seen on grocery store shelves in Victoria, B.C., on Monday, Feb. 10, 2025. For some Canadians, the days of checking 'product of' labels to send a message to Washington, D.C., have come to an end. According to a recent Research Co. poll, the number of Canadians who are avoiding the purchase of American goods has dropped by four percentage points since March. Overall, the company found 60 per cent of Canadians still favour non-U.S. goods when they're available. 'While the proportion of Canadians who are actively boycotting products made in the United States has subsided over the past two months, it still encompasses a sizeable majority across the country,' Research Co. said, in a news release. The poll also found fewer Canadians are eschewing American restaurant franchises in Canada, with only 36 per cent doing so, a decrease of five percentage points from March. Those who have cancelled a planned trip to the United States now sit at 35 per cent, down two percentage points. Across the border in Washington state, Bellingham and Seattle both feel the impacts of British Columbian boycotts. The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce said border traffic fell more than 50 per cent year over year in April, and businesses in Whatcom County are suffering because of it. 'It's been somewhere between volatile and a pretty sizable decline,' said Guy Occhiogrosso, the chamber's president. Occhiogrosso went on to say that he hopes the tension between the two countries can ease and cross-border travel for groceries, clothing and other products will return to the way it once was, as the local economy benefits from the additional traffic. The City of Seattle is also facing the impacts. Although hard data has yet to be released, tourism officials have noted a clear decrease in B.C. licence plates. 'What we're seeing is certainly a decline right now,' said Michael Woody, the chief strategy officer for Visit Seattle. 'Very saddening for us because we love our friends in Canada.' Woody added that the number of Canadians arriving by plane dropped 20 per cent in February, but is now down 12 per cent. Similair to those in Bellingham, Seattle officials are hopeful Canucks will come back – but understand that the bruises from some of the political rhetoric over recent months could take some time to heal. 'The most important thing is that we love you, neighbours. And we're ready for you to come back when you're ready,' said Woody. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump announced he planned to increase tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25 per cent to 50 per cent. The drastic change has sent shockwaves across B.C. as communities like Kitimat rely on selling aluminum to American partners. UBC political scientist Torsten Jaccard told CTV News that pre-Trump, tariff rates were one to three percent, and the increases will impact both sides of the border. 'This is a significant departure from almost 100 years of economic integration, and will carry significant costs for both sides involved,' said Jaccard. Potentially reviving the sense of patriotism when it comes to purchases, which has been lost in recent months. Jaccard went on to explain that Canadian imports account for about 25 per cent of total U.S. steel use, and Canada is the largest supplier of foreign steel. 'Canadian steel exports account for maybe a third of total U.S. steel imports. So the U.S. does have other options, which does not bode well for Canadian steel producers,' said Jaccard. 'Aluminum is the opposite.' Jaccard said Canadians will probably face the brunt of U.S. tariffs but for aluminum, he expects the tariffs will be quite costly to Americans
Global News
31-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
‘We'll be ready for you': Bellingham council pens letter to B.C. residents
Bellingham City Council in Washington State has penned a letter to British Columbians, reaffirming their commitment to relations with residents north of the border amid ongoing tensions between Canada and the U.S. 'I believe the letter, if I'm going to summarize, was essentially a governmental handshake in a city capacity, just wanting to reach over and show, just collaboration,' said Guy Occhiogrosso, president and CEO of the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce. 'One of the ways that we're terming it among a couple of other local agencies is just [being] ready for the warm welcome, letting everyone know that when Canadians are ready to come back, for those that aren't, we'll be ready for you.' Occhiogrosso said it is hard to pinpoint the exact impact the decline in cross-border travel is having on Bellingham but restaurants and stores are noticing a difference. Story continues below advertisement 'The entities that we represent as the chamber are having an interesting time trying to assess the impacts, and I think that's what we're doing at this point,' he said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Last weekend, a bipartisan group of five U.S. senators visited Ottawa to say they want to bolster the Canada-U.S. relationship despite U.S. President Donald Trump's recent attacks. The lone Republican in the group urged Canadians to 'give us another chance.' The senators met with Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has vowed to pursue a new economic and security partnership with the U.S. while acknowledging that the trend of 'deep integration' between the two countries is over. The American lawmakers say that long-standing relationships must continue, with trade, tourism and defence partnerships among the key areas where collaboration is critical. 'We have to do this stuff together,' Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota told Mercedes Stephenson in an interview that aired Sunday on The West Block. 'We'll be better at it if we're friends than if we're just tolerating one another… I'm just here (in Ottawa) to say thank you, and then to encourage Canadians to take another look and give us another chance.' 0:41 Carney says US senators discussed tariffs, security during Ottawa visit Occhiogrosso also expressed the importance of rebuilding and maintaining the relationship between the U.S. and Canada, recognizing that it may take days, weeks, months, or even years for Canadians to feel like they want to cross the border again. Story continues below advertisement 'And us, in partnership with our tourism bureau, are really kind of leaning in on this warm welcome to say we recognize where people are,' he said. 'Locally, there's not a lot that we can do to fix some of those emotions, some of these concerns, but we're ready. We're ready for you when you come back. And I think this leans into the hundreds of years of relationship that our communities experience.' -with files from Sean Boynton
