US ban on $1 billion of Canadian imports takes effect

WASHINGTON, Sept 29: A US ban on about $1 billion worth of imports from Canada, including selected alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motor vehicles, took effect Tuesday, marking a new escalation in the ongoing trade dispute between the two countries.

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing restrictions on the sale of certain Canadian goods in the United States. While the affected imports represent a small share of the roughly $880 billion in annual trade between the two countries, the measures add to growing trade tensions between the United States and Canada, its long-standing ally and trading partner.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures were a direct response to what Washington described as Canada's discriminatory treatment of key American exports. The United States had announced in July that it would impose a 50% tariff on certain Canadian goods, alleging discriminatory practices by Ottawa, with those tariffs taking effect on August 22.

Canada responded by imposing tariffs of 15%, 25% or 50% on selected US products. The Canadian measures came into force on September 8.