The Province of Manitoba is investing up to $1.5 million in grant funding to the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) to create a made-in-Manitoba tariff response program, Premier Wab Kinew and Jamie Moses, minister of business, mining, trade and job creation announced on March 27.
The new initiative aims to support local manufacturers by offering assistance and programming in response to tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“While President Trump threatens our economy with tariffs, we’re standing up for Manitoba workers and the businesses that power our economy,” Kinew said in a press release sent out by the province. “By partnering with CME, we’re ensuring that Manitoba manufacturers are equipped to respond to the impacts of U.S. tariffs.”
Read Also
CUSMA access key among other trade noise: Seeds Canada panel
Seeds Canada conference panelists say Canada needs to stay focused and wait as U.S. trade and tariff chaos develops, and a Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement review looms
CME has lauded the provincial government for stepping up with important funding that will help bolster the tariff response from manufacturers in Manitoba, said Terry Shaw, regional vice-president for the Prairies division of CME.
“This tariff response programming will provide our manufacturers with the tools they need to diversify their markets, protect Manitoba jobs and mitigate the impact of tariffs,” Shaw said.
Businesses and workforce training on tariffs and market diversification will be the focus of the tariff response program, which will also include a summit promoting networking connections amongst businesses and financial support for consultations on tariff planning.
The province is proud to invest in CME and to support Manitoba’s manufacturers in the face of Trump-imposed tariffs, and will work to strengthen supply chains across the province through the new program, Moses said.
“This made-in-Manitoba tariff response program will help businesses continue to grow in this uncertain economic climate,” he said.
The province’s partnership with CME will help prepare manufacturers by providing them with both support and information in the face of tariff uncertainty, Moses added.
When Budget 2025 was announced by the province on March 20, it included tariff protections such as tax deferrals for Manitoba businesses and up to $200 million in loans and targeted supports. A U.S. Trade Council was also created and launched by the Support Manitoba, Buy Local campaign.
