A 50% Tariff is a big hit, and it's personal!
The United States has implemented 50% tariffs on a broad array of Canadian goods, including fine art, handmade crafts, and natural or wood-based creative materials, overriding previous CUSMA/USMCA exemptions. Canadian creators and small businesses face significant border tax burdens when exporting these items. [1, 2]
Affected Art and Craft Categories
Fine Art & Visual Works: Paintings, drawings, collages, and original sculptures.
Crafts & Materials: Jewelry (gold, silver, costume), decorative glassware, and wooden home decor.
Natural & Cultural Materials: Raw furskins, leather articles, hides, and bone, horn, antler, or hide products.
Supplies & Finished Goods: Textiles, knitted fabrics, candles, and essential oils. [1, 2]
Official Resources & Guidance
Review the CARFAC Visual Arts Update for specific advisory notices impacting Canadian visual artists.
Consult the Canadian Crafts Federation Tariff Guide for a breakdown of maker impacts and compliance rules.
Check the Canada Border Services Agency for official classification data. [1, 2]
Suggestions for Art Buyers and Artists.
We do encourage people and businesses to consider buying Canadian Art. These purchases generate income that sustains small businesses and artists. These dollars are, in turn, spent locally on domestic needs by the artist. Artists in Canada provides a large selection of art by Canadian artists. Those with art visuals are members, and as a consumer, you can deal directly with individual artists and pay no commission. Art and artwork services, including commissions, are in Canadian dollars - saving you money in CDN currency.
Art Sales Gallery: https://artistsincanada.com/art-sales Purchase Artwork directly from artists listed in the Member's Art Sales Gallery. Pay no commissions. Choose by price, medium, subject and size from a wide variety of Art in our online gallery. Can't find what you want? Hire an artist to create a work for you.
Commission an Artist: https://artistsincanada.com/commissions. Choose from a wide variety of artists available for commission work, from portraits of people and animals to favourite landscapes, sculpture, jewelry, fibre art and much more. Can't find what you want?
Request a commission: https://artistsincanada.com/commissions/requests/new Place a general Call to Artists with your general request for a specific commission. Artists available will respond and you can choose what is right for you.
Public Sculpture and Art Proposals may also be posted, at no charge. Artists interested will respond.
Art Materials: We do encourage artists to purchase art materials from local and Canadian suppliers.