Canada expands ‘work-sharing program’ as U.S. tariffs pose ‘maximum peril’

The federal government is unveiling new support measures to mitigate the impact of the U.S. trade war on Canadian workers as fears of layoffs and economic impact grow.

The announcement came moments after U.S. President Donald Trump announced he plans to put new tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber within the coming days.

Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon announced new “temporary work-sharing measures” that will go into effect Friday, calling the trade war that Trump launched this week a moment of “maximum peril.”

Under the “mitigation” plan, Ottawa is expanding the existing work-sharing program to let employers cut hours while keeping workers in their jobs with income support, MacKinnon said during a press conference in Ottawa Friday.

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This will allow employers to keep workers on their payrolls without having to resort to cutting jobs, he said.

More to come….