
The Impact of Tariffs on Ottawa’s Black Community
By
Dr. Kwaku Kusi-Appiah
May 1, 2025
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“If the tariffs were truly reciprocal… then the tariffs for
Singapore should be zero. But still we are being subjected
to 10% tariffs…These are not actions one does to a friend.”
#Hon. Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister of Singapore
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Abstract
This report investigates the socio-economic ramifications of recent tariff policies on Ottawa’s Black community and other vulnerable groups, including seniors, persons with disabilities, and new immigrants. While tariffs are designed to protect national industries, they also impose economic hardships on marginalized populations. Rising import costs have exacerbated financial instability among Black households and constrained Black-owned enterprises operating on narrow margins. The analysis draws on economic reports, community surveys, and policy reviews to highlight the disproportionate burdens borne by historically marginalized communities. Recommendations include targeted business support, improved access to essential goods, and enhanced public education initiatives aimed at mitigating these inequities.
Keywords: Tariffs, Black-owned businesses, Ottawa, racialized communities, economic inequality, public policy, community resilience
1. Introduction
The global trade landscape has become increasingly protectionist in recent years, marked by escalating tariffs and retaliatory economic measures. On March 4, 2025, the Government of Canada enacted a 25% tariff on approximately CAD $30 billion worth of United States imports, responding to recent U.S. protectionist measures. While these actions are framed as mechanisms to bolster domestic industry and employment, they produce unintended and uneven socio-economic effects at the local level (Lee & Dinsdale, 2025).
This report focuses on the Black community in Ottawa, an economically vibrant yet structurally marginalized group. As living costs rise due to tariffs on imported goods, Black residents, and businesses, already facing systemic barriers to economic mobility, are disproportionately affected. By exploring these challenges, this study contributes to the broader discourse on inclusive economic policy, racial equity, and localized resilience strategies.
2. Understanding Tariffs and Their Socioeconomic Effects
Tariffs are import taxes levied to protect domestic industries by increasing the cost of foreign goods. They are generally categorized as: a) Ad valorem tariffs (i.e., a percentage of the imported good’s value); b) Specific tariffs (i.e., a fixed charge per unit; and c) Compound tariffs (i.e., a combination of ad valorem and specific components).
While protective in intent, tariffs commonly elevate retail prices, raise business operating costs, and complicate supply chains (Galko, 2025). These consequences are not distributed evenly across the population. A 2025 report by Statistics Canada highlights that sectors such as electronics, textiles, household goods, and food have experienced significant cost increases. These translate to higher prices on smartphones, laptops, and household devices, marked increases in clothing costs, impacting everyday affordability, rising prices on furniture, decor, and cookware. Additionally, tariffs lead to elevated costs of imported produce, spices, specialty products and increased input costs for manufacturers and service providers. Such economic pressures intensify existing disparities in affordability, disproportionately affecting racialized and low-income communities (Lee & Dinsdale, 2025; Statistics Canada, 2025).
3. Local Impacts: Ottawa’s Black Community and Other Vulnerable Populations
Marginalized populations in Ottawa, including Black residents, seniors, immigrants, and people with disabilities, are less equipped to absorb the inflationary effects of tariff-induced price hikes. Historical exclusion from wealth-building opportunities has left many Black households particularly vulnerable to economic shocks.
Municipal surveys and community feedback (City of Ottawa, 2025; BBPA, 2025) show that Black-owned small businesses are facing difficulty sourcing affordable inventory, disruption in supply chains, leading to delays and customer dissatisfaction and narrowed profit margins due to increased operational expenses. These realities threaten the sustainability of enterprises that are central to economic self-determination in racialized communities.
In addition, people with disabilities face increased costs for medical supplies, assistive technology, and transportation. Furthermore, seniors on fixed incomes are less able to afford rising costs in housing, healthcare, and food. Finally, new immigrants often lack established social and economic networks, making the rising cost of living an even greater hurdle to integration.
These intersections underscore the urgent need for equity-oriented policy interventions.
4. Policy Recommendations
a) Targeted Support for Black-Owned Businesses
- Implement tailored grant and micro-loan programs.
- Support technical training, market access, and mentorship initiatives (BBPA, 2025).
- Offer procurement incentives for government contracts to Black-owned firms.
b) Enhanced Access to Affordable Goods
- Introduce subsidies for essential items such as food, hygiene products, and medical supplies.
- Expand community grocery programs and bulk-buying cooperatives.
- Evaluate price stabilization strategies for key consumer sectors.
The Ottawa Food Bank’s Hunger in Ottawa (2023) report underscores that food insecurity disproportionately affects racialized and low-income households, reinforcing the need for direct relief.
c) Community Outreach and Education
The City of Ottawa’s Economic Development Strategy (2025) identifies inclusive engagement as a cornerstone of sustainable economic development. In alignment with this principle, there is a critical need for Ottawa’s Black community to develop and implement culturally responsive public education initiatives that inform residents about the impacts of tariffs and available support resources. Collaborative partnerships with both Black-led and allied community organizations can strengthen grassroots awareness and ensure broader reach. Equally important is the facilitation of advocacy training programs to empower marginalized individuals and communities to actively participate in economic policy discourse and decision-making processes.
5. Conclusion
As Canada navigates an increasingly protectionist global economy, domestic policies must be designed with an equity lens. Ottawa’s Black community faces unique vulnerabilities that are intensified by the cascading effects of tariffs. Policymakers must ensure that the economic burdens of international trade disputes are not unfairly borne by the most vulnerable. Through targeted support, structural reforms, and inclusive engagement, it is possible to create a more equitable and resilient economic landscape for all Canadians.
Works Cited
Black Business and Professional Association. (2025). Supporting Black Businesses in Ottawa. Retrieved from https://bbpa.org/
City of Ottawa. (2025). Ottawa’s Economic Development Strategy – 2022–2026. Retrieved from https://engage.ottawa.ca/new-economic-development-strategy
Conference Board of Canada. (2025). https://www.conferenceboard.ca/
Galko, M. (2025). Two professors aim to help businesses ‘pull up their socks’ in the face of US tariffs. Ottawa Business Journal. Retrieved from https://obj.ca
Lee, M., & Dinsdale, H. (2025). Tariffs are here: How will they impact Canadian Businesses? Hicks/Morley. https://hicksmorley.com/2025/03/05/tariffs-are-here-how-will-they-impact-canadian-businesses/
Ottawa Food Bank. (2023). Hunger in Ottawa: A Report on Food Insecurity. Retrieved from https://www.ottawafoodbank.ca/
Statistics Canada. (2025). Canadian Economic News, March 2025. https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/dai/btd/cen/mar2025
Dr. Kwaku Kusi-Appiah holds a doctorate in political ecology and the environment from Carleton University, where he teaches and conducts research in the domain of political ecology, water access and its intersection with the environment. He also supervises postgraduate students from Algeria, Malawi, and Ghana. His career spans many years of university tutoring and leadership in diversity advocacy, such as serving as senior advisor to the Mayor of Ottawa on diversity issues, revitalizing Black History Ottawa, and contributing to international development projects like providing educational resources to Rwandan schools. He has also served as a visiting professor at Mzuzu University in Malawi, engaging students and NGOs on water and social justice issues. Dr. Kusi-Appiah also co-founded the Canada Education Management Agency to support international education.