With the threat of tariffs looming from United States President Donald Trump, St. Catharines city council has passed a motion calling on provincial and federal governments to “protect the Canadian economy.”

“A trade war is going to do a lot of damage to the local economy,” St. Catharines Mayor Mat Siscoe said during Monday’s council meeting.

The motion calls for financial aid programs for those impacted by tariffs, expanding export opportunities outside of the U.S. market, pushing for exemptions and tariffs reductions, and supporting domestic investment by increasing incentives for domestic automotive and electric vehicle production.

The motion also asks the federal and provincial government to remove “impediments to municipalities to preferentially procure from Canadian companies for capital projects and supplies,” Mayor Siscoe said.

This means council is calling on the government to step in and remove obstacles that may be preventing them from sourcing locally.

“We are asking that the federal and provincial governments who have the power in this capacity remove whatever restrictions may exist to allow us to be able to move in that direction,” Mayor Siscoe said.

“If we’re taking property taxes from the people, from the businesses, here in St. Catharines, we should preferentially direct those dollars back towards businesses locally if that’s feasible and reasonable,” he said.

In 2023, 532 businesses in Niagara exported $5.9 billion in goods to the U.S., the motion stated. The U.S. market accounts for 72 per cent of total exports from Niagara businesses.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has stated that Trump’s proposed tariffs would cost the province 500,000 jobs, according to the motion.

In St. Catharines, there are almost 9,000 jobs that specifically rely on exports to the U.S., Mayor Siscoe said during Monday nights council meeting.

“It’s unfortunate that we’re in this situation but given the damage that could be done to local businesses — frankly the damage that is already being done to local businesses because of the threat of tariffs and the threat of a trade war — I think it’s incumbent on us to make sure the public dollars are going to support workers in our community,” Mayor Siscoe said.

The motion also announced councils endorsement and support for the Ontario government’s Fortess Am-Can.

Fortress Am-Can is a “renewed strategic alliance between our two nations,” according to Brian York, Director of Economic Development and Government Relations for the City of St. Catharines.

It is focused on “economic success” for both Canada and the U.S., York said.

Copies of the motion were sent to numbers people including Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford.