This article supplied by Troy Media.

 By Sylvain Charlebois

Since March 3, Canadian importers have been paying an additional 25 per cent tariff on imported coffee. This counter-tariff, introduced as part of Ottawa’s retaliatory response to a trade dispute triggered by new United States duties on Canadian agricultural exports earlier this year, directly affects a product that isn’t even grown in Canada.

Coffee is up 19 per cent—and global markets aren’t to blame. Ottawa’s political posturing is burning your wallet, one cup at a time

Canadians are paying 19 per cent more for ground coffee this year—and it’s not because of global supply issues. It’s because of a self-inflicted policy
mistake: a 25 per cent tariff imposed by Ottawa on imported coffee, a product Canada doesn’t even grow.

Many consumers may attribute the spike to global market volatility, especially after coffee futures soared to a record high of more than US$4.40 per
pound in February. But that explanation no longer holds—futures have since dropped by more than 30 per cent, yet retail prices remain stubbornly high. So, what’s driving this divergence?

The answer lies, in part, in trade policy.

Since March 3, Canadian importers have been paying an additional 25 per cent tariff on imported coffee.

This counter-tariff, introduced as part of Ottawa’s retaliatory response to a trade dispute triggered by new United States duties on Canadian agricultural exports earlier this year, directly affects a product that isn’t even grown in Canada.

Unlike dairy or poultry, coffee has no domestic farming sector to protect. These tariffs aren’t shielding Canadian producers—they’re punishing
Canadian consumers and businesses.

To grasp the scale of this impact, consider the size of the industry. According to Introspective Market Research, retail coffee sales in Canada total more than $2.7 billion annually and are projected to grow steadily over the next decade. Meanwhile, coffee shops and quick-service restaurants, from Tim Hortons to independent cafés, generate an additional $6.4 billion per year. Tim Hortons alone sells more than five million cups of coffee per day.

This is not a fringe sector; it’s a critical part of both our economy and our culture.

Ironically, the U.S.—our supposed trade adversary in this case—doesn’t grow coffee either. Yet both countries are now entangled in a tariff tug-of-war that serves no practical purpose. The same logic applies to tea, which is also subject to retaliatory measures.

The tariffs were introduced under the Trudeau government in a broader geopolitical strategy that often felt more performative than pragmatic. Trudeau’s combative approach to trade, seemingly crafted on a whiteboard without regard for economic fallout, may have resonated politically, but it ignored basic economic principles. Consumers were never part of the equation.

In contrast, Prime Minister Mark Carney appears to be taking a more measured approach. Tariffs on U.S. alcohol and citrus products remain, but those can be sourced from other markets with relatively little disruption. Coffee and tea, however, are a different matter. There are no alternative domestic sources. The cost of these tariffs is being passed directly to roasters, grocers, restaurants, and ultimately, to the consumer.

Compounding the problem is the volatility of American trade policy under U.S. President Donald Trump, which continues to inject uncertainty into food markets. Tariffs come and go with the political winds, forcing companies to engage in “buffer pricing.” Much like travelers buying insurance for
unpredictable weather, companies build in extra costs to guard against political surprises. It’s effectively a tax on unpredictability, and it’s now embedded in the price Canadians pay at the till.

And while consumers might not feel the same pinch at their local café, where coffee is a smaller fraction of the total cost of a cup, the grocery aisle tells a different story. That’s where the full weight of these policies lands.

Whether a new trade agreement can be reached by the self-imposed July 21 deadline—or a damaging 35 per cent tariff Trump has set for August 1 can be avoided—remains uncertain. But what should be obvious is this: both Canada and the U.S. need to keep essential agri-food imports like coffee and tea out of their geopolitical fights.

Canada has a vibrant coffee ecosystem, built on roasting, innovation and consumer culture, not cultivation. There is no economic rationale for taxing it. Canadians shouldn’t be paying more for their morning brew just to send a symbolic message to Washington.

It’s time Ottawa led by example and scrapped these pointless tariffs.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a Canadian professor and researcher in food distribution and policy. He is senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. He is frequently cited in the media for his insights on food prices, agricultural trends, and the global food supply chain.

Troy Media empowers Canadian community news outlets by providing independent, insightful analysis and commentary. Our mission is to support local media in helping Canadians stay informed and engaged by delivering reliable content that strengthens community connections and deepens understanding across the country.

MxM News

Quick Hit:

President Trump on Thursday directed Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of grand jury records in the Epstein case, saying “this SCAM…should end, right now!” Bondi said she’ll ask the court Friday to unseal the transcripts.

Key Details:

• Trump said on Truth Social he had asked AG Pam Bondi to release “any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony” tied to Epstein, pending court approval.
• Bondi responded Thursday evening, posting, “President Trump — we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts.”
• Trump’s directive comes just hours after The Wall Street Journal published a report about a birthday card he allegedly wrote to Epstein—an allegation Trump has called “fake” and vowed to sue over.

Diving Deeper:

President Donald Trump on Thursday took to Truth Social to instruct Attorney General Pam Bondi to pursue the release of sealed grand jury records. “Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval,” Trump wrote. He then added, “This SCAM, perpetuated by the Democrats, should end, right now!”

Bondi quickly responded on X, confirming her team would be in court Friday to make the request. “President Trump — we are ready to move the court tomorrow to unseal the grand jury transcripts,” she wrote.

The renewed push comes in the wake of a Wall Street Journal article published Thursday that alleged Trump sent a sexually explicit birthday card to Epstein in 2003. Trump strongly denied the claim, saying it was fabricated and promising to sue the paper for defamation.

Epstein, 66, was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell in August 2019, just a month after he was indicted by federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York for sex trafficking minors. The official ruling was suicide, though skepticism remains widespread.

Last week, the FBI and Justice Department released the results of a long-awaited internal review. In an unsigned memo, federal officials concluded that Epstein did not have a “client list,” had not blackmailed any prominent figures, and that no further investigations into uncharged individuals were warranted. The DOJ memo said no additional disclosures would be made, effectively closing the book on the federal inquiry.

Trump, who has previously blasted the media’s obsession with Epstein, supported the memo’s findings and called the broader conspiracy a “hoax.” Still, pressure has mounted from Trump’s base and transparency advocates demanding public access to sealed documents and grand jury proceedings.

While hundreds of pages of testimony from Epstein’s 2006 Florida case were released last year, including disturbing details from victims as young as 14, the New York proceedings remain largely sealed. That Florida case ended in a controversial plea deal that saw Epstein serve just 13 months in a county jail.

With Bondi now preparing to formally request the unsealing of federal transcripts in New York, Thursday’s developments could signal a shift toward more transparency—though any release will still require approval from the court.