Toronto, February 20, 2026 – Today’s Supreme Court ruling against much of the recent use of U.S. tariffs is a welcome development for small businesses on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border. But while this decision weakens the administration's justification for tariffs, it is likely that other tariff and trade tools may be used to accomplish the same end.
Unfortunately, this ruling will not help address the uncertainty related to Canada/U.S. trade, nor the crippling tariffs on steel and aluminum that have been imposed by both countries.
Still, there is the potential for relief for non-CUSMA compliant goods. In a recent survey, 27% of small businesses said they were harmed by tariffs on non-CUSMA compliant goods, especially as many small firms struggle to comply with the confusing regime.
While we should not expect the administration to end its efforts to impose tariffs, this decision may help sway other US political leaders against this harmful approach as both countries review the CUSMA agreement. While uncertainty continues, this is a good day for Canadian businesses.
- Dan Kelly, President, Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
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