REGINA, Sask. — We break down the latest changes to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, track a major push by Prairie chambers of commerce to strengthen interprovincial trade, and hear from Regina Airport Authority CEO James Bogusz about why cross-border air travel continues to grow despite political tensions.
Podcasts are available now on GX94, Yorkton, or on 620 CKRM, Regina, hosted by Steven Wilson. Or read the transcript below:
Steven Wilson — Welcome to Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies. I'm Steven Wilson.
Are Canada and the United States on the verge of a trade deal, or preparing for a prolonged standoff?
The messages coming out of Ottawa and Washington are offering different perspectives on the prospects for an agreement.
Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters in Iowa that the two countries were very close to reaching a deal.
Trump suggested an agreement would benefit American farmers, pointing specifically to agricultural trade.
Prime Minister Mark Carney acknowledged the two leaders had a good conversation, but emphasized that any agreement must protect Canadian interests.
The prime minister said Ottawa is seeking a deal that supports jobs, improves affordability and respects Canada's sovereignty, languages and culture.
Carney has maintained that Canada will not accept an agreement that compromises its priorities simply to bring the dispute to a quick conclusion.
While negotiations continue, the reality on the ground is changing.
The White House's modified 50 per cent tariffs on certain Canadian goods officially took effect Friday.
Certain plywood, paper products and industrial machinery were removed from the American tariff list, offering some relief for businesses and supply chains in border states such as North Dakota and Montana.
However, the revised measures also extend the 50 per cent tariffs to additional Canadian products, including certain flooring materials, medical and laboratory equipment, cocoa powder and chemical products.
Despite the relief for some machinery and other goods, North Dakota remains heavily exposed to the broader trade dispute.
Canada is the state's largest export market, accounting for approximately 81 per cent of its goods exports in 2025.
With uncertainty continuing in the American market, Prairie business leaders are accelerating efforts to strengthen trade within Canada.
The Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta chambers of commerce are working together on a series of subsidized interprovincial trade missions aimed at connecting businesses across provincial borders.
The federally supported initiative is designed to help local companies develop new supply chain relationships, identify customers and suppliers, and reduce their reliance on traditional north-south trade routes.
The missions will bring together businesses from across the Prairies through industry tours, networking opportunities and meetings intended to encourage long-term commercial partnerships.
In Winnipeg, the Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention is underway, bringing together industry leaders, investors and government representatives.
The event is providing an opportunity to promote Manitoba's critical minerals sector and attract investment from domestic and international markets.
Provincial leaders are looking to the sector as a way to diversify the economy and reduce exposure to ongoing trade uncertainty.
Meanwhile, Canadian securities regulators are taking steps to maintain stability in financial markets.
The Alberta Securities Commission and Saskatchewan's Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority have implemented a coordinated blanket order providing temporary exemptions from certain trading fee caps.
The measure applies to interlisted securities and is intended to provide greater flexibility for market participants trading shares listed in both Canada and the United States.
The diplomatic tensions and economic uncertainty have also raised questions about whether Canadians are avoiding American vacations and business trips.
James Bogusz is the president and CEO of the Regina Airport Authority.
He says the airport closely monitored cross-border travel this year, anticipating a significant decline in demand because of the political climate.
But Bogusz says the passenger numbers are telling a different story.
James Bogusz — I could have anticipated easily, given what we're hearing about in the news, given what we're hearing about from some Canadians in terms of travel sentiment, significant reductions in travel demand.
But right now, with access into Denver, access into Minneapolis, obviously in the winter, there's some additional access to places like Phoenix as a non-stop, or you can connect to a major hub like Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver.
We have seen a modest amount of growth, but growth nonetheless.
So we're tracking at about two per cent increase year over year, and we'll see how the year ends up.
So it's been surprisingly strong, certainly given what's been going on politically.
Steven Wilson — Bogusz credits Saskatchewan's strong business climate for helping maintain demand for cross-border travel.
He says when the province attracts major investments and business opportunities, the need for international travel can outweigh political uncertainty.
James Bogusz — And one thing I can tell you, we have no doubt the most pro-growth, pro-opportunity province and city when it comes to business.
And that translates directly into travel demand.
When you attract new opportunities, whether it's construction opportunities, ag tech, I mean, the list goes on and on.
When you attract that type of business, it attracts the need for travel to get here.
Whether it be an American coming up to Regina, whether it be a conference or sporting event, choosing Regina as a city it wants to host, whether it be even your visiting friends and family.
All of these things together has helped grow our overall passenger numbers, but also has helped to keep those trans-border numbers very strong, especially when you consider what's going on right now.
So I would say the business climate has been by far the, I believe, the number one driver.
Steven Wilson — We'll continue to watch for developments out of Ottawa and Washington as the U.S. midterm elections get underway tomorrow.
I'm Steven Wilson. Thank you for listening to Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies.
Read more stories from your community and across the province at sasktoday.ca and 620ckrm.com.
Listen weekdays at 9 a.m. on 620 CKRM and GX94 for new installments of Trade Dispute: Impact on the Prairies.
