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Securing the Future: 9 Ways to Help Your Business Adapt to New U.S. Policies

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February 21, 2025

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Overview

February 21, 2025

New Regulations and Policies of the Trump Administration: Are You Ready?

Fasken has developed a guide titled Securing the Future: 9 Ways to Help Your Business Adapt to New U.S. Policies.

DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE (PDF)

Summarizing the key concerns of the business community, the guide provides companies operating in Quebec with recommendations on how to navigate the new regulations and policies of the Trump administration.

Resources

Government Measures for Companies Impacted by Tariffs

Tariff Timeline

This guide does not constitute legal advice. It is intended to provide general guidance, which should be followed up with advice tailored to your specific situation.

Excerpt From the Guide: Tariffs - Your Questions, Our Answers

Are you concerned that the new U.S. tariff policies may impact your cross-border operations? Here are the answers from our lawyers to your questions.

1. How will the new U.S. trade policies affect cross-border trade?

Customs contrais will be stricter, which will lead to additional customs clearance delays. You will also have to comply with new administrative and documentary requirements to prove the origin of goods and compliance with new tariff policies.

2. How will changing tariffs affect production costs and sale prices?

Businesses operating in Québec and exporting to the United States will face administrative costs in connection with managing customs formalities. These additional costs may increase the total cost of producing the goods. To offset the additional costs, businesses may be forced to raise the prices of products sold in the U.S.

3. Who will bear the costs of the new tariff policies?

Costs related to the new tariff policies will primarily be borne by U.S. importing companies. When importing Canadian products, U.S. importing companies will have to pay the tariffs. These additional costs will then be passed on to U.S. consumers in the form of higher prices.

4. How will the new tariff policies affect our cash flow, given the payment terms we have negotiated with our customers?

The new tariff policies could have a significant impact on your cash flow. Additional tariff-related costs could reduce your profit margins and increase your working capital requirements. If the payment terms with your customers do not allow you to quickly offset these costs, you could experience cash flow pressures. lt is therefore essential to review your terms of payment and negotiate more favourable conditions to mitigate the impact of any tariffs.

Authors

Raymond Chrétien, CC, Partner | Strategic Advisor | Corporate/Commercial, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5230, rchretien@fasken.com
Éric Bédard, Partner | Partner and Leader, Strategic Advisory Services, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 4314, ebedard@fasken.com
François Brais, Partner | Managing Partner, Québec Region, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5161, fbrais@fasken.com
Vincent Girard, Partner | Managing Partner, Québec Office, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2020, vgirard@fasken.com
André Turmel, Partner | Energy and Climate, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5141, aturmel@fasken.com
Anne-Marie Naud, Partner | Leader, Corporate/Commercial Group | Co-Leader, Agribusiness, Food & Beverage Group, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2009, anaud@fasken.com
Jean-Philippe Mikus, Partner | Trademark Agent | Intellectual Property, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5176, jpmikus@fasken.com
Magali Cournoyer-Proulx, Partner | Labour, Employment & Human Rights, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5266, mproulx@fasken.com
Jocelyn Auger, Partner | Information Technology, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 7694, jauger@fasken.com
Carl Bélanger, Partner | Corporate/Commercial, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 4332, cbelanger@fasken.com
Jean-François Cloutier, Partner | Labour, Employment & Human Rights, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5201, jcloutier@fasken.com
Henrick Simard, Partner | Corporate/Commercial, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2004, hsimard@fasken.com
Sébastien Roy, Partner | Trademark Agent | Intellectual Property, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2073, sroy@fasken.com
Kateri-Anne Grenier, Partner | CO-LEADER, PRIVACY & CYBERSECURITY, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2040, kgrenier@fasken.com
Laurence Déry, Partner | Labour, Employment & Human Rights, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2003, ldery@fasken.com
Annie Bernard, Partner | Construction Law, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5175, abernard@fasken.com
Pierre-Olivier Charlebois, Partner | CO-LEADER, ENERGY AND CLIMATE, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5291, pcharlebois@fasken.com
Mathieu Leblanc-Gagnon, Partner | Construction Law, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2036, mleblancgagnon@fasken.com
Paul Cabana, Partner | Tax Law, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5213, pcabana@fasken.com
Julie Uzan-Naulin, Partner | Privacy and Cybersecurity Law, Montréal, QC, +1 514 871 5967, juzan@fasken.com
Jean-Philippe Therriault, Partner | Environmental, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 5103, jtherriault@fasken.com
Marie-Christine Valois, Partner | Mergers & Acquisitions, ESG and Sustainability, Montréal, QC, +1 514 397 7413, mvalois@fasken.com
Elisabeth Bouffard, Associate | Labour, Employment & Human Rights, Immigration, Québec, QC, +1 418 640 2043, ebouffard@fasken.com
Stephanie Heinsohn-Spiropoulos, Associate | Immigration, Montréal, QC, +1 514 657 2769, sheinsohn@fasken.com