East Ontario companies prepare for US rates.

With US tariffs against Canadian goods that will enter into force on Saturday, companies and city officials in eastern Ontario are preparing the impacts.

Ali Nasrallah, owner of Ottawa Auto Glass, said his store obtains most of his pieces of glass manufacturers in the United States.

25 percent tariffs will be “great success” in their business, said Nasrallah, adding that their customers will probably end up paying for additional costs.

“It really makes no sense to us, since it even comes from the United States, which is our close ally,” he said.

Nasrallah is not alone. The companies and local governments throughout the region are preparing for what many say will be devastating impacts in everything, from food to medical care.

In an informative session on Friday, the White House Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, said the president would present a 25 percent tariff about Canada and Mexico.

The president of the United States, Donald Trump, said he hopes that rates include oil, gas, steel, aluminum, copper and microchips, but potentially with staggered dates and rates, depending on the product.

Jack Shinder, CEO of the company based in Ottawa, ambitious, cares about how tariffs could affect their US clients. The Schinder company manufactures specialized doors, frames and windows for customers that include the United States army.

“It’s a serious problem,” he said. “A 25 percent aggregate at our sale price will really reduce our ability to sell in this market. So I am very worried about what is proposed.”

Tomorrow from Ottawa9:22President Trump warns 25% of tariffs along the way

The CEO of Ambico, Jack Shinder, has been preparing his Gloucester company for American tariffs.

Shinder said that he also believes that provincial and federal governments should intervene to help companies affected by tariffs.

“It is a way to protect jobs in Ottawa and throughout the country, and I think not starting a program like that would be very short,” he said.

The municipalities react

Corinna Smith-Gatcke, wardrobe of the United States and Grenville, said tariffs would affect everything from medical care to the food industry. She said that many cross-border businesses occur in the counties, since it is the home of two border crossings: the Ogdensburg-Prescott international bridge and the Puente de las Tilas Islas.

Man starring forward — The mayor of Cornwall, Justin Towndale, says that tariffs could have a great impact on business in the port city. (Felix disroids/cbc))

“It is as devastating for Canadians as for Americans, and I really find it to understand the real value that President Trump finds when doing this exercise,” he said.

The mayor of Cornwall, Justin Towndale, also cares about how tariffs could affect the local economy, since companies such as Leclerc Foods and Laminacoror Industries Inc. have facilities in the city and sell exports to the United States.

“We could see an impact on which production is reduced with our Canadian companies, some of which are family property, which could result in dismissals,” he said.

A man with a shirt and a jacket with neck sits in front of a poster that reads "Canadian Federation of Independent Business." — Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, urges the precaution to apply retaliation rates. (CBC)

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, said that rates can lead to a “medium -sized recession”, which could lead to an increase in unemployment.

Kelly also warned about the effects of any retaliation rate promulgated by the Canadian government.

“It’s like chemotherapy, we basically poison ourselves to try to fight battle,” Kelly said. “That is not good.”