British Columbia91裸聊视频檚 aluminum sector will find new markets beyond the United States, provincial Mines Minister Jagrup Brar said, after the prospect of American tariffs as high as 50 per cent on Canadian metal exports emerged.

U.S. President Donald Trump91裸聊视频檚 planned 25 per cent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum would be stacked on top of a broad 25 per cent levy on Canadian goods, said a White House official who confirmed the plan on background.

91裸聊视频淲hether it91裸聊视频檚 25 per cent or more, it91裸聊视频檚 going to affect families and businesses on both sides. There91裸聊视频檚 no doubt about that,91裸聊视频� Brar said in an interview on Tuesday.

91裸聊视频淲e are very confident that we can help the aluminum business access markets as quickly as possible.91裸聊视频�

Brar said that it takes roughly five years to get an aluminum smelter up and running, so U.S. consumers would be paying more for goods made from aluminum for at least that amount of time.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a fact that B.C. is well positioned to diversify our trade and help businesses access new markets,91裸聊视频� Brar said.

The 25 per cent U.S. tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports were announced Monday and are set to take effect on March 12. Trump previously threatened 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, and said those tariffs could still proceed in early March.

B.C. produces aluminum as well as metallurgical coal, which is used to make steel. While some of B.C.91裸聊视频檚 metallurgical coal is exported to the U.S., most of it is shipped to other markets such as Asia, Brar said.

B.C. Premier David Eby landed in Washington, D.C., Tuesday to join other provincial and territorial leaders in a united front against American tariffs. They91裸聊视频檒l meet with U.S. lawmakers and businesses to talk about trade and tariffs as the threat of the levy on more Canadian goods looms in early March.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Paris on Tuesday for a global summit on artificial intelligence where he cautioned U.S. Vice-President JD Vance against steel and aluminum levies.

A senior government official said Trudeau spoke with the vice-president about the impact steel tariffs would have in Ohio, which Vance represented previously in the U.S. Senate.

Eby said late Monday that the recent tariff friction with the United States would fundamentally change the way Canadians approached trade with their southern neighbours.

Things 91裸聊视频渨ill never go back to the way that we were before,91裸聊视频� he told reporters at Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 airport on Monday evening ahead of his trip.

Canadians were 91裸聊视频渨ay too reliant on the decisions of one person in the White House,91裸聊视频� Eby said, adding that the province and the country would emerge stronger from this experience because 91裸聊视频渢he world needs what we have.91裸聊视频�

Tim McEwan, senior vice-president of corporate affairs at the Mining Association of BC said tariffs on aluminum 91裸聊视频渨ill not only harm Canadians, but ultimately hurt U.S. businesses and everyday Americans.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淐anada and B.C. have the critical minerals and metals the United States needs to meet their technological, defence and national security objectives,91裸聊视频� he said in an emailed statement.

Eby has previously called the U.S. threat of tariffs a 91裸聊视频渄eclaration of economic war against a trusted ally and friend91裸聊视频� and 91裸聊视频渁 complete betrayal91裸聊视频� of the historic bond between Canada and the United States.

When asked if the premiers will have access to 91裸聊视频渄ecision makers who are the closest to the president,91裸聊视频� Eby said they are working to set up those meetings.

91裸聊视频淎nd I can assure you that we do have meetings set up with a number of senior decision makers in (U.S.) government.91裸聊视频�

One group of politicians the premiers will seek to actively engage with will be those from Trump91裸聊视频檚 Republican party, Eby adds.

91裸聊视频淭his is a Republican-led initiative against Canada,91裸聊视频� Eby said of the tariff threats.

91裸聊视频淥bviously, we need to help them understand the importance of our tightly linked economies, and that while they may think they91裸聊视频檙e trying to get something from Canada, it91裸聊视频檚 just mutually assured damage.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a war where the shrapnel goes in all directions.91裸聊视频�

Gagan Singh, a farming advocate and blueberry farmer in Abbotsford, B.C., said that a significant amount of the province91裸聊视频檚 fruit and vegetables are exported to the United States.

If tariffs are placed on food, more locally grown produce could stay in Canada and push prices lower. While this may be advantageous for consumers, it would hurt farmers91裸聊视频� income, he said.

However, with so much public awareness about the potential tariffs, the public is now seeking local produce to support Canada.

91裸聊视频淏ecause of these tariffs, we91裸聊视频檙e seeing a bigger push for local produce. You91裸聊视频檙e seeing retailers adding more labelling on this is local Canadian made,91裸聊视频� Singh said.

Eby also said his government would ensure that B.C. businesses can diversify and that interprovincial trade barriers can be brought down.

Since the tariff threat was made, the B.C. government announced it will fast track 18 critical mineral and energy projects, and has set up a trade and economic security task force and a new cabinet committee 91裸聊视频渨ar room91裸聊视频� to co-ordinate ways to protect workers, businesses and economy.

91裸聊视频淚 am convinced, because the world needs what we have, that we91裸聊视频檙e going to come out the other side of this stronger, more independent, more resilient and more prosperous,91裸聊视频� Eby said of the tariff tensions. 91裸聊视频淏ut in the meantime, a bunch of unnecessary damage will be done.91裸聊视频�