In a briefing note published by Reuters on June 30, Washington catalogued more than a dozen unresolved complaints against Canada just one day before the scheduled six-year review of USMCA. Beyond dairy quotas and digital-service taxes, the U.S. Trade Representative flagged issues that directly impede the flow of people and goods, including delays to the new Gordie Howe International Bridge between Windsor and Detroit and provincial Buy-Canadian procurement rules that sideline U.S. service providers. Travel analysts say the bridge delay—already pushing back the opening date for what would be the busiest commercial border crossing in North America—forces trucking firms to continue using the aging Ambassador Bridge, adding up to 30 minutes per crossing during peak hours. The report also criticizes Canadian liquor boards that recently halted U.S. alcohol imports in retaliation for Trump-era tariffs, a move that has deterred cross-border tourism and hospitality spending. Ottawa has yet to respond publicly, but insiders suggest Prime Minister Mark Carney will defend supply-management programs while seeking compromise on digital-tax and labor-enforcement fronts. For companies running commuter assignments and frequent business-visitor trips, the laundry list of irritants foreshadows protracted negotiations that could tighten entry requirements or add paperwork at the northern border. Stakeholders with Canadian operations are urged to stay engaged through industry associations and prepare alternative routing or supplier strategies if talks stall.
Source: Reuters / Kitco News
