Image source, Getty ImagesByNardine Saad- Published23 October 2026, 21:09 BST
The US is lifting some of its 50% tariffs on Canadian goods, with the White House saying on Friday it was working to "protect the economic prosperity and national security of the American people".
The exemptions could also boost Republican candidates in the midterms elections on 3 November, as many US voters list affordability and economic pressures as top issues.
Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is in a tight race in Maine to keep her seat in the election, first announced the exemptions, saying they would help her state's agriculture industry.
After trade talks collapsed this summer, the US and Canada started an escalating tariff war that has affected both sides of the border.
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Senator Susan Collins said she had worked with the administration to secure "tariff relief"
The White House, in a statement, said that starting 30 October the US would remove certain products from the list of Canadian goods it taxes, such as plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and certain packing crates and boxes.
It added those items would be replaced with certain valves, carpets, waste products, among others.
The White House said the action reflects President Trump's "continued efforts to defend American workers and ensure fair trade", as well as "offsetting the burden and disadvantage on U.S. commerce from Canada's discriminatory treatment".
The BBC has contacted the White House, US commerce department and trade representative for further comment.
Also on Friday, President Donald Trump said that Canada is "working very hard" on a trade deal with the US.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday that Canada is open to a mutually beneficial deal, but is willing to wait it out.
"We could sign it this afternoon if the US were there. If it has to be months from now or longer than that, or another administration, before a proper deal comes into place, we will do that," he said, according to CBC.
Canada's internal trade minister Dominic LeBlanc confirmed on Thursday that a delegation met with members of the Canada-United States Economic Relations Advisory Committee - the ninth meeting since April 2026. The committee members discussed the ongoing impact of US tariffs in Canada.
So far, Canada has not commented on the White House's announcement.
LeBlanc's office did not immediately respond on Friday to the BBC's request for comment.
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The Wall Street Journal had reported that the exemptions, largely focused on Canadian agricultural and forestry, were made in a bid to help Collins and other Republicans in the upcoming midterm elections.
The reductions could be offset by raising levies on other Canadian goods, the Journal reported.
In a statement Collins put out before the White House announcement, the incumbent lawmaker, who is trying to clinch her sixth term, said she had "secured additional tariff exemptions products crucial to Maine's agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed producers".
"Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense," she posted on X.
Collins said she has asked US officials and senior administration officials to seek additional relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada.
Maine's economy, as well as that of other border states, is deeply linked to Canada and they have felt the effects of the month-long trade war.
Michigan lawmaker Mike Rogers, also a Republican, has called on Trump to end the standoff after spending months supporting the policy in recent advertisements airing in his trade-reliant state.
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