How “Trump’s Tariffs” Work at the Canadian Border, with Receipts

I travelled to the south and got hit with tariffs on my way back.

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash

I’m Canadian. I live close to the Canada-US border, so I occasionally drive to our southern neighbours to buy items such as clothes, food, snacks and other items. It’s less than an hour's drive and a decent way to spend Saturday morning, especially since I get to stop at a Canadian provincial park on my way back for a hike — at least during the warm season.

A week ago, I drove over the border to the post office to pick up packages. I purchased a few things, mostly clothes, and had to collect them in person. Shipping to Canada is always an option, but it’s cheaper to drive to the United States and back. I enjoyed it and spent an hour at a park on my way home.

I went to upstate New York two days after the tariffs were enacted. So, I paid Trump’s tariffs for the first time and would like to share how they work—or, more particularly, how this worked for me. It’s not just about the tariffs but also about how travel and shopping have changed for Canadians.

Here is my experience, with photos of the receipts showing the tariffs, as well as my observations regarding the Canadian boycott of American products.

Canadians are Boycotting the US

You may have heard that Canadians are extremely upset not only about President Trump’s threat of tariffs — the threats he came through on — but also about him calling Canada the 51st state and suggesting annexation.

You may think he’s a bafoon who bullies and intimidates others to get what he wants. Be that as it may, I remember that same rhetoric from Putin. Many said he wouldn’t dare to invade Ukraine, yet the war has been ongoing for more than 3 years now, with the world failing to help Ukrainians properly.

But I digress. This is not about Ukraine or Trump’s annexation threats. This is about tariffs. Nonetheless, it’s important to note that the Canadian boycott is happening. I, myself, have had to drive to the South twice since the president-reelect took office, and both times were simply because I ordered stuff before this started happening. I will not be returning soon. The trip…