Nova Scotia Small Businesses Hit Hard by Canada-U.S. Trade War Tariffs
Small business owners in Nova Scotia are facing severe financial strain as the Canada-U.S. trade war and resulting tariffs slash sales, forcing entrepreneurs to adapt operations and call on Canadians to support local vendors.
Small business owners in Nova Scotia are experiencing significant financial hardship as the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war and associated tariffs continue to erode their sales. Entrepreneurs in the province are being forced to restructure their operations or seek outside employment to keep their businesses afloat.
Natasha Lawyer, owner of Sugarhouse Ceramic Co. in Kentville, N.S., has taken on a side job after the ceramics business saw its sales crater due to the trade dispute. Two years ago, U.S. sales generated between $4,000 and $5,000 US per month for the company, accounting for 80 percent of its total customer base. Last month, those U.S. sales plummeted to just $300 US. Lawyer stated that her sales were essentially cut in half in 2025 shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on Canadian goods.
In Wolfville, N.S., Laurie Dolhan, who runs Hook, Line and Tinker, began planning to safeguard her business after Trump won the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Although Dolhan's products are not directly subject to tariffs, she established a business entity in the United States and partnered with a distribution centre there to alleviate American customers' concerns. Dolhan is a dual citizen of Canada and the U.S. and maintains manufacturing in Canada to support other Canadian businesses and hire Canadian employees.
Despite the new U.S. setup helping fulfill orders, Dolhan reports that her sales continue to slide.
Both entrepreneurs are urging Canadians to actively support local businesses to help mitigate the effects of the tariffs. They encourage consumers to share their purchases from small vendors on social media and to reallocate even small amounts of weekly spending — such as $20 — away from giant retailers like Walmart and toward local businesses instead.