On August 22, 2026, the United States imposed a 50% tariff on $27.6 billion of Canadian goods. Canada responded with counter-tariffs of 15%, 25%, or 50% on the same value of U.S. goods, effective September 8, 2026.

For electrical contractors, the impact goes beyond the tariff itself. Members may see higher material and equipment costs, shorter quote-validity periods, pricing uncertainty, longer lead times, and added risk on fixed-price work.

Practical guidance for ECAO members

ECAO has prepared a new bulletin, Most Recent Tariffs Impacting ECAO Members, outlining where contractors may be exposed and what to do now.

The bulletin covers:

• The situation at a glance — what happened and what it means for contractors

• Where you may be exposed — U.S.-made electrical equipment, steel and aluminum content, tools and site equipment, imported U.S. finished goods, and Canadian-made exports or cross-border work
• Bid and pricing uncertainty — indirect price pressure, quote content and long-lead equipment, stock status, contract recovery risk, and bid qualification
• Recommended actions — what to do now, what not to do, and steps at each stage: before you commit, at tender, and on awarded work

The highest-value steps, if you do nothing else:

• Confirm line-item origin, HS classification, and importer of record
• Build an exposure register for high-value, long-lead purchases
• Lock price and lead time where justified
• Allocate tariff risk explicitly
• Protect notice rights early
• Review available support programs