--- title: "US and Canada impose reciprocal tariffs impacting small businesses" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/us-and-canada-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-impacting-small-businesses" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/us-and-canada-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-impacting-small-businesses" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/us-and-canada-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-impacting-small-businesses.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/us-and-canada-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-impacting-small-businesses" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United States" published: "2026-09-16T06:25:12.142Z" source_reported: "2026-09-16T05:11:11.000Z" updated: "2026-09-16T06:25:12.142Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 61 hype_score: 68 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-16T06:51:38.837Z" --- # US and Canada impose reciprocal tariffs impacting small businesses *Trade war measures affect bilateral trade, with business owners citing rising costs and cancelled orders.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claims attributed to AP and business owners, with two independent outlets and specific figures provided. - Craft 61 of 100, higher is better. Reports include quotes from affected individuals and explain the context and potential next steps. - Hype 68 of 100, lower is better. Headlines and summaries emphasize the negative impact on small businesses and rising costs. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Canada and the U.S. have imposed reciprocal tariffs on about $20 billion (CA$27.6 billion) worth of goods. - The tariffs affect approximately 5.5% of the two nations' bilateral trade. - Small business owners report facing taxes up to 50% on their products and a decline in sales. - Rising energy costs from the Iran war are contributing to increased operational expenses for businesses. A trade dispute between the United States and Canada has resulted in reciprocal tariffs on approximately $20 billion (CA$27.6 billion) of goods from each country. These measures impact about 5.5% of the total bilateral trade between the two nations. Small business owners are reporting that the tariffs can amount to up to 50% on their products, alongside a perceived increase in anti-Canada sentiment affecting sales. Business owners also cite rising energy costs, linked to the Iran war, as a factor increasing expenses for fuel for trucks and machinery. Mateo Kehler of Jasper Hill Farm, an artisan cheesemaker in Vermont, reported that he experienced canceled holiday orders from Canadian wholesale customers. Kehler suggested this was due to resentment over rhetoric directed at Canada by U.S. officials, rather than specific product tariffs, as cheese was not subject to the new U.S. taxes. ## Disagreement on specific tariff impacts While analysts suggest the overall economic impact of the tariffs will be muted due to their scope relative to total trade, small business owners report significant effects. Washington Top News, in its full report, detailed how a Vermont cheesemaker and a Canadian distiller experienced canceled orders and potential loss of U.S. clients, respectively. The reports do not provide a consensus on whether specific products are subject to the new U.S. tariffs, with Washington Top News stating cheese was not among those targeted by new U.S. tariffs, while also noting a 50% tax on distilling equipment from Canada. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated or centre-rated reports printed below mention specific details about the U.S. banning imports of wine, whiskey, selected motorcycles, and the dairy ingredient whey from Canada, as stated in the full report from Washington Top News. ## Who covered it Shares of the 16 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 75% (12) - Centre: 25% (4) - Right: 0% (0) 4 of 20 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-16T06:51:38.837Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 2 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-16T07:15:18.928Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Left-rated reports led with the impact of the U.S.-Canada trade war on small businesses, highlighting increased costs and reduced sales. These reports frequently mentioned the reciprocal tariffs imposed by both countries, amounting to about $20 billion worth of goods. They also noted the effect of rising energy costs stemming from the Iran war on business expenses. Several left-rated reports quoted Mateo Kehler of Jasper Hill Farm, who reported canceled orders from Canadian customers and attributed this to perceived anti-Canada rhetoric, suggesting it created a market backlash and inspired a boycott. The reports also included details from other small business owners facing challenges. ### Centre - Centre-rated reports focused on the reciprocal tariffs between the U.S. and Canada and their impact on small businesses, noting that the measures affect about $20 billion in goods. These reports also highlighted the additional burden of rising energy costs due to the Iran war. Several centre-rated outlets included details from Mateo Kehler of Jasper Hill Farm, who reported canceled holiday orders from Canadian wholesale customers and linked this to perceived anti-Canada rhetoric. The reports also mentioned that the tariffs represent about 5.5% of the nations' bilateral trade, with analysts suggesting a muted overall economic impact. ### Right No separate framing summary. **Provisional coverage gap:** right. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - mixed: 2 - high: 9 - unknown: 4 - veryHigh: 5 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Independent Español](https://independentespanol.com/noticias/negocios/la-guerra-de-iran-subio-los-precios-ahora-la-disputa-eeuucanada-anade-presion-a-pequenas-empresas-b3050944.html) — Iran's War Raised Prices; Now US-Canada Dispute Adds Pressure to Small Businesses · Global Voices - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/a3e0dd2943614fe7) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [My Mother Lode](https://mymotherlode.com/news/world/11143264/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [Washington Top News](https://wtop.com/national/2026/09/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war – WTOP News - [WBAL](https://wbal.com/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise durin - [The Toronto Star](https://thestar.com/news/world/united-states/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_b4a784e8-0ae6-595e-acc0-a204046a54da.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Hamilton Spectator](https://thespec.com/business/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_73acbae7-847e-58ef-a547-76dd144c93f9.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [Loonie Politics](https://looniepolitics.com/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Seattle Times](https://seattletimes.com/business/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Independent](https://independent.co.uk/news/canada-donald-trump-ceo-iran-new-york-b3050913.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/canada-donald-trump-ceo-iran-new-york-b3050913.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Times-Tribune](https://thetimestribune.com/news/national_news/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_3429ddd6-fae3-5daf-8e9f-0477b62c0d4e.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Sun Chronicle](https://thesunchronicle.com/news/state/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_9a847e44-6c0b-59e6-acb5-8a7681e34586.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [Idaho Press](https://idahopress.com/ap_news/us/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_63588e5f-f18d-5b4c-baab-cf865a414d29.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Daily Star](https://thedailystar.com/news/state/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_1986225b-52e7-540a-be3d-10d8571ec186.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [abc News](https://abcnews.com/Business/wireStory/us-canada-trade-war-taxes-small-businesses-costs-136483378) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [WKMG](https://clickorlando.com/news/politics/2026/09/16/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [The Record](https://therecord.com/business/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war/article_6f9db4a1-1714-5506-9db1-06651f702263.html) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [Winnipeg Free Press](https://winnipegfreepress.com/business/2026/09/15/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war - [Durango Herald](https://durangoherald.com/articles/associated-press/us-canada-trade-war-further-taxes-small-businesses-as-costs-rise-during-the-iran-war) — US-Canada trade war further taxes small businesses as costs rise during the Iran war ## Questions **What is the value of the reciprocal tariffs between the US and Canada?** Canada and the United States have each imposed reciprocal tariffs on approximately $20 billion (CA$27.6 billion) worth of goods. These measures affect about 5.5% of the total bilateral trade between the two neighbouring countries. **How are small businesses affected by these tariffs?** Small business owners report that the tariffs can increase the cost of their products by up to 50%. They also cite a decline in sales and difficulties operating due to the trade dispute and perceived anti-Canada rhetoric. **What other cost increases are businesses facing?** In addition to tariffs, businesses are experiencing rising energy costs linked to the Iran war. These higher fuel prices for trucks and machinery are increasing operational expenses for many small companies. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/business/us-and-canada-impose-reciprocal-tariffs-impacting-small-businesses. 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