As U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods climb higher under the Trump administration, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is urging calm and discouraging retaliatory measures, even as opposition voices accuse him of downplaying the damage to the provincial economy.
In a public statement posted to social media, Moe called the U.S. decision to hike tariffs on non-CUSMA-compliant goods to 35% “disappointing”, but emphasized that 95% of Saskatchewan’s exports to the U.S. remain tariff-free under the current trade deal.
“CUSMA remaining in effect is very significant,” Moe wrote. “We now live in a relative world on trade, in that the U.S. has imposed across-the-board tariffs on many countries while the vast majority of Canadian exports to the U.S. remain tariff-free.”
He went on to argue that Canadian products now enjoy a relative advantage over goods from countries facing higher U.S. tariffs, especially in sectors like agriculture and manufacturing.
Moe also pointed to continued job growth and low unemployment in Saskatchewan, and said his government will “continue to engage with U.S. businesses and lawmakers” to improve the trade relationship.
The province's Official Opposition, the Saskatchewan NDP, isn’t buying it.
In a press release Tuesday, NDP Trade and Export Development Critic Kim Breckner accused the premier of “pandering to Trump” while ignoring warning signs in the provincial economy.
“Let’s be clear — Scott Moe wants to paint a rosy picture of our province because he has no plan to respond to the Trump trade war and no plan to secure Saskatchewan’s economic future,” Breckner said.
According to new Statistics Canada data, Saskatchewan exports to the U.S. are down 13.3% year-to-date, with agriculture, energy, and forestry sectors all reporting sharp drops. The same release noted a 0.2% dip in retail sales and forecasts from TD Bank suggesting Saskatchewan’s growth will decline 22% this year and 40% in 2026.
The NDP also criticized Moe’s call for Canada to refrain from retaliatory tariffs, suggesting it leaves the province vulnerable while failing to protect workers in industries hit hardest by the new levies — such as steel and lumber, now facing U.S. tariffs as high as 50% and 34%, respectively.
NDP Leader Carla Beck said Saskatchewan does need to maintain good relations with the US, but "we're not going to do it with a gun to our head. We're not going to do it in a situation where, over eight months, we are threatened time and time again, where we're disrespected. Let's stop acting like we're not holding any cards here."
Moe’s office responded by reaffirming its commitment to growing export markets beyond the U.S., noting Saskatchewan now sells products to over 160 countries and continues to advocate for infrastructure projects like pipelines and rail corridors under its "Strong Saskatchewan, Strong Canada" plan.