The Department of Finance Canada has published the list of U.S. products that will be subject to counter-tariffs from 12:01 a.m. on September 8, 2026. The measures respond to the U.S. decision to impose a 50% Section 338 tariff on about $27.6 billion of Canadian goods effective August 22, and they are sized to match: Canada’s surtaxes cover products representing $27.6 billion of imports from the United States, at rates of 15%, 25% or 50%. The products are drawn from those targeted by the U.S. Section 338 and Section 232 tariffs, and the rate applied to each generally mirrors the U.S. rate on the corresponding Canadian good. Finance describes the list as concentrated in steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper and electronics.
How the surtax will apply
The published list follows the pattern of Canada’s existing U.S. surtax orders. The surtax applies only to goods that originate in the United States, defined as goods eligible to be marked as U.S. goods under the Determination of Country of Origin for the Purpose of Marking Goods (CUSMA Countries) Regulations. Goods that are in transit to Canada on the day the measures come into force are excluded. Finance has said that additional details on the administration of the tariffs will be published by the CBSA in a customs notice, which is where the surtax codes for the Commercial Accounting Declaration will appear.
Practical impact: the list is published by tariff item, so the first task for any importer of U.S. goods is to run their classification database against it and identify what lands at 15%, 25% and 50%. Origin is the second question: goods of Mexican, European or Asian origin distributed through the United States are not caught, but the importer will need evidence that meets the marking rules. For shipments that will be on the water or on the road across September 8, start collecting the bills of lading and cargo control documents that prove in-transit status now.
Steel and aluminum go to 50%; other existing measures stay
The accompanying Finance news release confirms that the existing 25% surtax on U.S. steel and aluminum products will rise to 50% on September 8, matching the U.S. rate. Furniture and clothing are among the goods at 50%; appliances and dairy products are at 25%. The existing surtaxes on U.S. motor vehicles and on steel derivative goods remain in place at their current rates, and the tariff remission framework continues: requests are accepted under the Department of Finance’s U.S. remission process for importers who cannot source inputs domestically or from non-U.S. suppliers, or who face exceptional and compelling circumstances. The orders in council and the CBSA customs notice will settle the exact schedules, codes and transition rules, and we will cover them when they are issued.
Late change: seafood out, copper wire and charcoal in
Late on August 26, a day after the list was published, Finance updated it to remove seafood and fish products, citing feedback from the industry, and added copper wire and charcoal so that the total value covered still matches the U.S. measures dollar for dollar. The published page now carries the note “List updated as of August 26, 2026.” Importers who ran the original list against their classifications on August 25 should run it again.
Support for workers and businesses
The same announcement sets out a $7.5 billion support package: a $1.5 billion Regional Tariff Response Initiative delivered through the regional development agencies for small and medium-sized enterprises; a $500 million liquidity stream under BDC’s Pivot to Grow program, with the minimum revenue requirement lowered to $1 million; a $2 billion Canada Strong Diversification Fund for capital projects through the Strategic Response Fund; $3.5 billion in rapid-response supports including extended Employment Insurance flexibilities, workplace training and a Worker Retention and Retraining Program; and expanded flexibilities under the Large Enterprise Tariff Loan facility. Importers whose input costs jump on September 8 should look at the liquidity streams first, since remission decisions take time.
Read the Finance Canada news release: targeted countermeasures and support for workers and businesses · List of products subject to counter-tariffs effective September 8, 2026 · Process for requesting remission of tariffs on certain goods from the U.S.
