The trade war between the United States and Canada is spreading to billboards in Florida and 11 other states where the Canadian government is paying for messages that drive home its point that consumers end up paying the cost of tariffs.
Drivers in Northeast Florida have seen the billboards on Interstate 10, Interstate 295 and Roosevelt Boulevard in Jacksonville with messages such as “Tariffs are a tax the gas pump” and “Tariffs are a tax on your grocery bill.”
President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on many goods imported into the United States from Canada as part of his broader strategy of raising tariffs on imports from around the world. He put a 10% tariff on energy products from Canada.
The digital billboard campaign by campaign comes as the U.S. Senate could vote Wednesday on a resolution opposing Trump’s decision on tariffs for Canadian goods.
Global Affairs Canada spokesman John Babcock said the digital billboard campaign is a “strategic investment in Canada’s long-term economic interests and its trade relationship with the United States.”
“Tariffs are a tax on hard-working Americans in their daily lives,” he said. “They lead to increased costs on everyday essentials, including fuel and groceries.”
In addition to Florida, the billboard messages have gone up in Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and its surrounding areas, and Wisconsin.
Trump put the tariffs in place by invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He has said the tariffs put pressure on Canada to fight the flow of illegal drugs from Canada into the U.S.
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He also has said tariffs will convince manufacturers to build plants in the United States so they do not face tariffs on goods sold in the U.S.
Florida’s ports tie the state into the global economy. Canada accounts for 12% of imports handled by Jacksonville’s port mainly for bulk aggregate used in road construction. Canada is a top market for Florida exports of agricultural products.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, who is pushing the legislation in the Senate opposing the Canada tariffs, says Trump’s tariffs are “taxes on Canadian goods” and “Americans aren’t buying what he’s selling.”
(This story was updated to add new information)
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville is among Florida cities where billboards say consumers pay price of tariffs
Reporting by David Bauerlein, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
