Alberta Stands Strong: Supporting Local Businesses Amid U.S. Tariff Challenges

In a move to safeguard Alberta’s economy and local businesses, the provincial government has announced a series of strategic actions in response to U.S. tariffs. These measures aim to bolster Alberta’s industries, encourage local purchasing, and empower businesses to thrive despite international trade pressures. Read the full announcement here.

The Alberta government is taking a stand by prioritizing the purchase of goods and services from Alberta and Canadian companies. This initiative is part of a larger effort to ensure local businesses remain competitive and resilient. As part of this plan, Alberta has also introduced the “Buy Alberta” marketing campaign, which highlights the exceptional quality of Alberta’s agricultural producers and processors. This campaign encourages residents to choose locally made products, fostering a sense of pride and unity within the province.

Key Actions Announced by the Alberta Government:

• Procurement Prioritization: Altering procurement practices to favor Alberta and Canadian businesses, ensuring local enterprises have a competitive edge.
• Support for Retailers: Helping retailers label Canadian products clearly, making it easier for consumers to identify and support local goods.
• Targeted Suspension: Suspending the purchase of U.S.-produced alcohol and video lottery terminals by Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis.

These measures are part of Alberta’s broader strategy to reduce trade barriers within Canada and expand global markets for its energy, agricultural, and manufactured products. Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the importance of these efforts, stating that removing internal trade barriers and investing in trade-enabling infrastructure are critical steps to unlocking Canada’s full economic potential.

What This Means for Lloydminster Businesses: As a community that thrives on the strength of its local businesses, Lloydminster stands to benefit greatly from these initiatives. The Lloydminster Chamber of Commerce fully supports efforts that promote local purchasing and strengthen Alberta’s economy. We encourage our members and residents to embrace this opportunity to support Alberta-made products and services.

By choosing to “Buy Alberta,” we not only contribute to the growth of our local economy but also ensure that our businesses remain resilient in the face of external challenges. This is a chance for all of us to come together and champion the exceptional quality and innovation that Alberta businesses bring to the table.

How You Can Get Involved:

• Look for Alberta-made products when shopping and encourage others to do the same.
• Share the “Buy Alberta” campaign message within your networks to amplify its reach.
• As a business, consider how you can align with these initiatives to further promote local purchasing.

For more information about Alberta’s response to U.S. tariffs and the “Buy Alberta” campaign, visit the official announcement.

Together, we can foster a resilient economy, support our local businesses, and ensure the continued prosperity of our community. Let’s make a difference by choosing to “Buy Alberta” today!

Quick facts

• On March 4, U.S. President Trump implemented a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy.
• The U.S. is Alberta’s – and Canada’s – largest trading partner.
• Alberta is the second largest provincial exporter to the U.S. after Ontario.
  • In 2024, Alberta’s exports to the U.S. totaled C$162.6 billion, accounting for 88.7 per cent of total provincial exports.
  • Energy products accounted for approximately C$132.8 billion or 82.2 per cent of Alberta’s exports to the U.S. in 2024.
• About 10 per cent of liquor products in stock in Alberta are imported from the United States.
  • U.S. products represent a small minority of the beer and refreshment beverage categories; however, a significant number of wines originate in the U.S.
  • In 2023-24, about $292 million in U.S. liquor products were sold in Alberta.
• Alberta has been a longstanding supporter of reducing barriers to trade within Canada. In 2019, the province removed 21 of 27 exceptions, including all procurement exceptions, and narrowed the scope of two others. Since then, the province has only added 2 exceptions, which allow for the management the legalization of cannabis.
  • Removing party-specific exemptions has helped facilitate even greater access to the Alberta market for Canadian companies in the areas of government tenders, Crown land acquisition, liquor, energy and forest products, among others.