The Canada-U.S. border, spanning over 8,800 kilometers, serves as a crucial gateway for billions of dollars in trade and hundreds of thousands of people crossing daily for business, family, and tourism. As election season heats up in the United States, CTV National News Chief Anchor Omar Sachedina reports from key battlegrounds, exploring how the election’s outcome could impact the vital Canada-U.S. relationship, especially at the Windsor, Ontario, border crossing, where transport trailers fuel up and prepare to haul goods across the border.
The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), formerly known as NAFTA, governs much of the trade between the two countries. Last year alone, daily cross-border trade reached $3.6 billion. As both U.S. presidential candidates consider renegotiating CUSMA in 2026, Canadian truckers and border town economies watch closely, recognizing the direct effect American policies have on Canadian livelihoods.
Behar Berbatovci, a Windsor trucker, shared that changes in U.S. trade policy could significantly affect Canadian jobs, income, and local economies. The past U.S. administration, led by Donald Trump, imposed tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel, straining Canada-U.S. relations. Yet some truckers noted a positive business environment during Trump’s term, with higher earnings despite the adversarial trade negotiations.
Both Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, a presidential candidate herself, signal protectionist stances. Trump has vowed to make the trade agreement more favorable for U.S. industries, while Harris, who opposed the CUSMA agreement as a senator, pushes for stronger environmental protections in any future deals. According to Stephen Laskowski, President of Ontario’s Trucking Association, this election cycle highlights decades of protectionist leanings on both sides, challenging Canadian industries to adapt.
With the election potentially reshaping policies at the Canada-U.S. border, the implications could extend beyond economic factors to trade accessibility, environmental considerations, and tariffs, leaving Canadian industries, especially transport and manufacturing, bracing for the next chapter in bilateral relations.