Abbotsford, Mission Among B.C.'s Most Vulnerable Cities to U.S. Tariffs, Report Finds

Abbotsford and Mission could be among the hardest-hit cities in British Columbia if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on his tariff threats, according to a new Canadian Chamber of Commerce report.

The Abbotsford-Mission metropolitan area ranked 15th out of 41 Canadian cities most exposed to U.S. tariffs, with $1.5 billion in exports annually—equivalent to $7,000 per capita.

Businesses Already Feeling the Pressure

For Abbotsford business owner Esther De Wolde, the uncertainty is already taking a toll.

"Approximately 87 per cent of our products are shipped across the border into the U.S.," said De Wolde, CEO of Phantom Screens, a 33-year-old company that makes retractable screens for buildings.

To brace for declining U.S. demand, she has reduced production from five to four days per week.

"I think it's a really good time for entrepreneurs to consider our dependency on certain markets and to realize that nothing is for sure, nothing is certain, and so diversification is extremely important," she said.

With Canada nearing the end of its 30-day reprieve from Trump's threatened 25% tariffs on Canadian goods, De Wolde fears devastating consequences for her 180 employees.

B.C. Cities Among Canada's Most Resilient

The Chamber of Commerce report used Statistics Canada data from cities with populations over 100,000 to analyze economic exposure to the U.S. market.

Overall, B.C. cities are among the least vulnerable in Canada due to the province’s strong Indo-Pacific trade ties.

• Kamloops ranked 40th out of 41, making it one of Canada’s most resilient cities.

• Other B.C. cities on the stronger end of the scale include Nanaimo, Victoria, Kelowna, Vancouver, and Chilliwack.

• However, Abbotsford-Mission stands out as an outlier, with 12.5% of its GDP dependent on goods exports, the majority of which go to the U.S.

New Markets & Local Spending Key to Survival

Mission Mayor Paul Horn said the region’s ranking is not surprising given its proximity to the U.S. border.

"Our industry and logistics sectors are often closely intertwined [with the U.S.]," Horn said.

He urged residents to spend their money locally to support businesses at risk.

Abbotsford Mayor Ross Siemens agreed, saying the crisis could push businesses to explore new markets beyond the U.S.

"Our geographic location provides us greater access to international trade agreements, and many of our residents have language skills and business experience in global markets," Siemens said in a statement.

However, diversification is easier said than done.

Alex Mitchell, CEO of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, said 90% of the city's 330 exporters rely on the U.S. as their primary trading partner.

"We're already hearing from our members about significant strategic shifts—from diversifying customers outside the U.S. to raising prices and exploring domestic sourcing alternatives," she said.

Interprovincial Trade Barriers Under Scrutiny

With a potential trade war looming, business leaders and policymakers are pushing for fewer interprovincial trade barriers.

On Friday, the federal government announced plans to eliminate 20 of the 39 remaining federal trade restrictions under the Canada Free Trade Agreement, aiming to boost internal trade.

Meanwhile, B.C. Economic Development Minister Diana Gibson said the province is actively working to remove its own regulatory barriers to help businesses weather the uncertainty.