'We're angry': New B.C. tariff legislation will allow tolls on American vehicles
B.C. continues to respond to threats from U.S. President Donald Trump and the tariffs he has been imposing.
Today, alongside Attorney General Niki Sharma, B.C. Premier David Eby announced new legislation to enable the province to respond to tariffs.
Essentially, the new legislation gives the cabinet more power, and some potential responses include the ability to toll American vehicles. Eby said the legislation would allow tolls on commercial vehicles bringing goods from Washington to Alaska.
It would allow B.C. to impose tolls and fees on non-Canadian commercial vehicles using provincial infrastructure. Eby was one of the first premiers to suggest action in response to the U.S. tariffs when he said that B.C. could pause American liquor sales in January.
Before announcing the new legislation, Eby said, “I know we’re angry and worried.”
“We can’t stand by, as we know that [Trump] is going to continue to bring out unpredictable executive orders, directions that include direct attacks, not just on Canada, but the European Union on other countries around the world.”
Eby said that B.C. would control its own destiny and Canada would not become the 51st state.
President and CEO of Destination Vancouver Royce Chwin stated that Americans accounted for 23 per cent of Vancouver’s visitors and 28 per cent of visitor spending in 2024. Eby said he realizes that the American people are not the U.S. president, and it does not appear that the legislation will impact tourists.
Eby actually suggested this legislation a week ago.
“The economic stabilization (tariff response) act will help strengthen our local economy and our ties to other provinces and territories, uniting us under the Team Canada banner. We continue to hope for this rift with the U.S. to be healed, even as we use our full legal authority to protect the people and interests of British Columbia and Canada,” Sharma said.
“The act provides temporary authority to Cabinet and will automatically be repealed by 2027 at the latest. The legislation also includes guardrails. For example, it does not allow government to override permitting processes or First Nations consultation,” a release from the province states.
Other potential actions B.C. can take with this new legislation include removing or amending barriers that impede interprovincial trade and temporarily making changes to cut red tape and regulations to take fast action to defend the B.C. economy from challenges brought on by continued tariff threats.
The legislation sunsets in May 2027.
Concerns have been growing that the hostile political environment and Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on American goods, including taxes U.S. visitors pay upon returning home with Canadian goods, may deter American tourists. Chwin revealed that five business conferences organized by U.S. entities have already cancelled their Vancouver plans.
With files from Kenneth Chan