PRESS RELEASE: CARFAC National Responds to New U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Goods
CARFAC National Responds to New U.S. Tariffs on Canadian Goods
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 24, 2026
OTTAWA - On August 22, the United States imposed additional tariffs of 50% on almost $30 billion worth of Canadian products, representing roughly 5% of Canada’s annual exports to the United States.
While much of the public discussion has focused on the impact on Canadian industries, including manufacturing and agriculture, CARFAC National is deeply concerned about the impact these new tariffs will have on several other important economic drivers: Canadian art, artists, and the broader visual arts sector.
“Canadian artists are independent workers and entrepreneurs,” says Jenna Faye Powell, Interim National Executive Director of CARFAC National. “Unlike large businesses and corporations, individual artists don’t have the financial resources to absorb new costs associated with these tariffs. There are tangible, immediate steps we are asking the federal government to take to ensure that artists are supported through this trade dispute. Artists cannot be an afterthought in Canada’s response.”
In 2025, the removal of duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value commercial shipments created a significant burden for artists selling and shipping work to the United States. This means that shipments valued at less than $800 USD are now subject to additional customs processing, documentation requirements, and associated fees. Today, Canadian artists face an added financial burden: where an artwork or material falls within a newly targeted trade classification, an additional 50% tariff may also apply. Monitoring the rapidly changing trade discussions and their implications for individual artworks, materials, and new customs requirements also requires significant time and resources.
“More holistically, this isn’t just an economic issue. The arts play a vital role in Canadian culture and society. We often talk about the arts making Canada more vibrant and their significant contribution to the country’s economy, but the arts also make our communities safer, healthier, happier, and more connected. We cannot talk about tariffs without considering how the resulting burdens placed on artists will affect Canadian culture more broadly.”
These tariffs and the resulting instability and financial burden will no doubt fall disproportionately on artists, arts not-for-profits, and small businesses including commercial galleries. They will also have significant impacts for Indigenous artists and creators whose practices may involve culturally significant materials that are now subject to 50% tariffs and other customs expenses.
Importantly, the impacts of these tariffs extend far beyond individual sales. Canada’s cultural sector is notably vulnerable to US trade disruptions, with two-thirds of Canadian cultural exports going to the United States, the world’s largest art market. These tensions and increased costs will result in reduced opportunities for artists, including slowed sales, delayed or cancelled exhibitions and artist residencies, strained international exchange and collaboration, and reduced Canadian representation at US-based art fairs.
CARFAC National continues to support artists navigating these changes by offering Certificates of Canadian Origin for artworks exported to the United States and elsewhere, as well as advisory services and resources on cross-border shipping and exporting. CARFAC National will continue to monitor the implementation of the new tariffs and their impact on Canadian visual artists, and update its guidance as requirements evolve. We urge the federal government to ensure that all artists, cultural workers, and small arts organizations and businesses are not overlooked as Canada develops its response to this rapidly changing trade environment.
Powell adds: “Lastly, Canadians need to understand that supporting our artists cannot be something we do only in times of uncertainty or crisis. We need to see buying Canadian art and supporting Canadian artists as an investment in Canada, always.”
CARFAC National, as a member of the Visual Arts Alliance, supports the Alliance’s call for immediate federal action.
The Visual Arts Alliance calls on the Government of Canada to:
Pursue an immediate exemption for original Canadian artworks and culturally significant materials from the additional U.S. tariffs.
Provide targeted financial relief to artists, galleries, Indigenous-owned businesses and cultural organizations experiencing increased costs, delayed shipments, cancelled sales or lost exhibition opportunities because of tariffs and border disruptions.
Establish an emergency support and stabilization program for visual arts organizations and businesses affected by ongoing Canada–U.S. trade instability.
Make purchases of original Canadian art GST-exempt, recognizing art as both a cultural good and an important contributor to the Canadian economy.
Work directly with Indigenous artists and arts organizations to ensure that federal trade responses recognize the cultural significance of traditional materials and do not treat Indigenous cultural works solely as commercial commodities.
Develop clear customs and border guidance for artworks, including temporary exports, touring exhibitions, loans, consignments and returns, to prevent unnecessary delays, costs and inconsistent treatment at the border.
Remove all tariffs on cross-border transportation of art between Canada and the United States, supporting cultural exchange and reducing barriers to market access.
Canadian art is not simply another category of merchandise. It carries cultural knowledge, history, identity, and relationships between communities. The Government of Canada must act quickly to protect artists’ livelihoods, sustain the organizations and businesses that support them, and preserve the international circulation of Canadian and Indigenous art.
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About CARFAC National
Founded in 1968, Canadian Artists’ Representation/Le Front des artistes canadiens (CARFAC) is a federally incorporated non-profit membership association and the national voice of Canada’s professional visual artists. CARFAC National advocates for artists’ economic and legal rights and works to advance fair compensation and professional standards for visual artists across Canada.
Media inquiries: director@carfac.ca