The City of Laval announced earlier this week that Mayor Stéphane Boyer will be in Washington D.C. from March 5-7 as Laval’s official representative in a delegation in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
In addition to promoting the protection of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River, the alliance (made up of 244 Canadian and U.S. cities) shares the common purpose of defending its members against President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs scheme.
In a statement issued by Laval City Hall on Monday, the city says Laval will be representing the interests of its businesses and employees.
During the gathering in the U.S. capital, Mayor Boyer will be meeting elected congressional officials, leaders of economic interest groups and representatives of the Trump administration. “This mission is taking place in a preoccupying economic context,” says the statement.
“Uncertainty is hanging over, while tariff measures are foreseen by the United States, directly threatening cross-border commercial trade.
“A 25 per cent hike on Canadian goods imported into the United States could have grave consequences for the regional economy, putting in peril jobs and the ability of local businesses to compete.”
“The question of tariffs is worrying,” says Mayor Boyer. “Hundreds of jobs are at risk in Laval. We will therefore be collaborating in initiatives aimed at preserving commercial trade from one side of the border to the other.
“We will also be taking advantage of this mission to strengthen the economic links between Laval and other Canadian cities from the Great Lakes region,” he added.
