U.S. tariff threat: Quebec furniture company lays off 115 workers after sales drop

A Quebec furniture manufacturer says the menace of U.S. tariffs connected Canadian goods has forced it to laic disconnected 115 radical successful the province.

South Shore Furniture says it’s laying disconnected 97 radical astatine its office and mill successful Ste-Croix, Que., southwest of Quebec City, and different 18 radical astatine its operations successful the Eastern Townships.

Earlier this week U.S. President Donald Trump said helium would clasp disconnected connected his threatened tariffs against Canada for astatine slightest a month.

But successful a quality merchandise today, South Shore Furniture says the uncertainty astir Trump’s motives has importantly affected sales, adding that 70 per cent of its products are shipped to the United States.

South Shore says that successful effect to imaginable tariffs, large American retailers person accrued their imports from Asia alternatively of Quebec, harming the company’s business.

The institution says that contempt the information Trump has held disconnected truthful acold connected imposing tariffs, it needs to laic disconnected workers and restructure its concern model.