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Will sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ fare better than other provinces in potential U.S. trade war?

British Columbia less reliant on U.S. for exports but ripple effect from more affected provinces just as damming, says business group
peace-arch-border0006-chung-chow-web-jpg
Peace Arch border crossing in Surrey | Chung Chow, BIV

The Business Council of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ has released a summary report on the province’s trade ties to the United States as the threat of tariffs on our exports looms under president-elect Donald Trump.

Report author and council policy director Jairo Yunis says sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ is less reliant on direct trade with the U.S. compared with other provinces. However, warned Yunis, “the interconnected nature of sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½’s economy means no province would be immune to the ripple effects of reduced U.S.-sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ trade.”

Here is a glance at the numbers:

  • 54 per cent: The province’s share of total merchandise exports going to the U.S. in 2023, totalling $30.4 billion in goods to the U.S. and seven per cent of its GDP — which is below the pre-COVID (2015-2019) average of eight per cent.
  • $8.2 billion: The value of energy exported to the U.S. (59 per cent is natural gas, 14 per cent is electricity)
  • $7: For every $10 of energy, forestry products, metals and minerals, and farm, fishing and intermediate food products produced, $7 worth is shipped to the U.S.
  • 47 per cent: The percentage of goods flowing to West Coast states: Washington (32), California (11) and Oregon (4).
  • Five per cent: The percentage of jobs in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ directly tied to U.S.-bound exports
  • 136,000: The number of jobs in sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ directly tied to U.S.-bound exports (2019).

The council’s report relied on Statistics sa¹ú¼Ê´«Ã½ and provincial trade data.

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