Kelowna Chamber of Commerce hosts tariffs talk with industry leaders

Chamber reacts to tariffs

Photo: Colin Dacre

The CEO of Gorman Group will be one of the panelists at a Kelowna Chamber of Commerce forum on tariffs on March 5, 2025.

The Kelowna Chamber of Commerce is opening discussions on what to do about looming U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

The Chamber will host a forum with industry leaders on Wednesday, March 5 from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at UBC Okanagan.

“Daily announcements from the U.S. are creating significant uncertainty for Okanagan and Canadian businesses,” says the Chamber.

“Even with a 30-day pause, President Trump’s executive order to impose tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States marks a major protectionist shift in U.S. trade policy. A 25% tariff on all Canadian non-energy exports and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy exports to the U.S. (alongside tariffs on Mexico and China) will cause substantial economic disruptions for the global economy.”

Here in B.C., the 30-day pause would expire on provincial budget day, which is set for March 4, 2024.

Some of the panelists who will be speaking at the March 5 event include Grant Stevens, chief corporate services officer for KF Aero, Heather Weber, a specialist in cross-border transactions, and Nick Arkle, CEO of Gorman Group Lumber. A representative from the petroleum/LNG industry is also expected to take part, along with Ross Hickey from UBCO Economics.

The event is being held in the UNC Ballroom and audience members will be able to ask questions of the panelists after a brief presentation from each. The Chamber of Commerce says more panelists will be announced as they are confirmed.

Tickets are $15 to the forum, which is sponsored in part by the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers. Attendees are asked to register here.

Photo: Kelowna Chamber of Commerce