Photo: File Photo
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Governor Maura Healey is sounding the alarm ahead of President Donald Trump's planned tariffs on Canada and Mexico, which are set to go into effect at midnight.
The President's plan includes a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, along with a smaller 10% tariff on energy resources from Canada. The White House announced the tariffs in February but delayed implementing them for a month after striking deals with both nations to provide more troops at each border and more work to stop fentanyl from entering the U.S.
Gov. Healey said in a statement the energy tariffs will make gas prices and energy bills skyrocket in Massachusetts—high energy bills have already been a point of contention this year.
“These tariffs were a bad deal last month, and they’re still a bad deal now," Gov. Healey said. "President Trump is putting a tax on energy, housing, groceries, cars, electronics, and appliances that we rely on – and we will all pay the price."
The governor's office said a 10% tariff on gas imports from Canada could cost up to $370 million a year just for Massachusetts alone. The cost rises to over a billion dollars a year for New England as a whole.
"Donald Trump should be focused on making life easier and more affordable – not picking destructive fights with our allies and largest trading partners that raise costs on everyone," Gov. Healey said. "This is a lose-lose that we can’t afford.”
The Trump Administration defended the tariffs and said they are necessary to stop illegal immigration and prevent illegal drugs like fentanyl from coming into the country.