Business

A long-lasting downtown business in Grande Prairie will be shutting their doors as their owner declares retirement.

On Wednesday, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the provincial government will work directly with small and medium-sized businesses and industry to understand the pressures faced by the federal government’s decision to match the United States tariffs dollar for dollar with counter tariffs on $27.6 billion in U.S. goods. 

The mill directly employs 360 people and supports approximately 3,000 jobs across Alberta’s forest sector supply chain.

The federal government announced tariffs on $27.6 billion in U.S. goods and a $7.5-billion support package Tuesday in Ottawa to help Canadian businesses and workers withstand the escalating trade war.

U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to impose 50-per-cent tariffs on Canadian vehicles and auto parts, then attacked Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford as the Conservative opposition demanded details of failed trade negotiations.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada was under economic attack Saturday after trade negotiations collapsed, new U.S. tariffs took effect and he suggested divisions inside U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration contributed to the breakdown.

Canada suspended trade negotiations with the United States and pledged dollar-for-dollar retaliation as additional 50-per-cent U.S. tariffs took effect early Saturday on about $28 billion in Canadian goods.

The United States postponed planned 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods for three days as U.S. President Donald Trump said the two countries had reached a trade deal.