WASHINGTON, March 3, 2025 -- In advance of pending tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods and the potential impact on the American economy, the U.S. Conference of Mayors' (USCM) Executive Committee passed an emergency resolution today urging the Trump administration to protect and promote trade relations with both countries. Mayors stress that tariffs would inflict severe economic harm on American businesses and consumers. After the resolution was adopted, USCM President Columbus (OH) Mayor Andrew Ginther released the following statement:
"American cities and our residents benefit from a healthy trade relationship with Canada and Mexico. That's why American mayors supported in 2020 President Trump's US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement, which strengthened and rebalanced North American trade. The economic relationship with our allies has created millions of American jobs and provided economic opportunity for our businesses. By implementing these tariffs, the federal government would instead stall economic growth, threaten jobs and wages, and put even more pressure on the cost of living in the United States. American residents in large, medium and small cities will bear the brunt of these tariffs, including cities, which would see municipal costs will go up across the board, from infrastructure maintenance to energy use. American mayors urge the president to reverse course and protect trade with our neighbors."
The text of the resolution is below:
Adopted March 3, 2025
RESOLUTION URGING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE TRADE WITH CANADA AND MEXICO BY OPPOSING HARMFUL TARIFFS
WHEREAS, Canada and Mexico are the United States top two trading partners, with total trade reaching $1.6 trillion in 2024, according to recent data from the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR); and
WHEREAS, trade with Canada alone amounted to $762.1 billion in 2024, supporting 8 million U.S. jobs and facilitating economic growth in cities and communities across the country; and
WHEREAS, trade with Mexico totaled $839.9 billion in 2024, further integrating supply chains and fostering economic cooperation that benefits American businesses and consumers; and
WHEREAS, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) has strengthened North American trade, ensuring stability, reducing barriers, and creating new opportunities for businesses of all sizes; and
WHEREAS, increasing tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico would disrupt supply chains, raise costs for American businesses, and lead to higher prices for consumers; and
WHEREAS, tariffs would disproportionately impact manufacturing, agriculture, and automotive industries, which rely heavily on cross-border trade and integrated production networks; and
WHEREAS, since tariffs are passed on to the consumer, examples of where municipal costs will go up include infrastructure maintenance, renewal and development; municipal fleet and machinery; affordable housing projects, energy use and distribution; IT and consulting services.
WHEREAS, retaliatory tariffs from Canada and Mexico in response to U.S. tariffs could further harm American exporters, including small and medium-sized businesses that depend on international markets; and
WHEREAS, free and fair trade with Canada and Mexico enhances U.S. competitiveness, strengthens diplomatic relations, and ensures economic stability in North America; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors urges the federal government to protect and promote trade with Canada and Mexico rather than implementing new tariffs that would harm businesses, workers, and consumers on all sides of the border; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the U.S. Conference of Mayors supports policies that reinforce the USMCA, encourage investment, and facilitate the efficient movement of goods across borders to sustain economic prosperity and job creation in U.S. cities.
About the United States Conference of Mayors – The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Follow our work on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, and Medium.
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