New York Governor Hochul meets with Canadian Consul General to discuss impact of tariffs.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul met with Canadian Consul General Tom Clark on Tuesday to discuss economic relations, trade issues, and potential tariff impacts between New York and Canada. The focus was on how policy changes at the federal level could affect the cost of living for New York residents.

During the meeting, Governor Hochul emphasized her top priority of ensuring that the cost of living for New York residents remains manageable. She pointed out that due to inflation and supply chain issues, daily expenses for New York families have significantly increased, with additional costs ranging from $1,300 to $3,000 for a family of four.

“I am working hard to redistribute funds to the people through budget planning, and what I least want to see is that this money is taken away from their pockets again due to higher costs,” Hochul said.

She further stressed the importance of the trade relationship between Canada and New York for the state’s economy, particularly in terms of energy, construction materials, and other everyday item prices. Hochul mentioned that policy adjustments at the federal level could directly impact these costs, making dialogue and cooperation with Canada crucial.

Canadian Consul General Tom Clark had previously visited the New York State Legislature on Monday. As reported by Gothamist, Tom Clark warned that if the U.S. government imposes tariffs on Canadian imports, the energy prices in New York State will be greatly affected. He highlighted that New York imports over $2 billion worth of oil, natural gas, and electricity annually from Canada and mentioned the ongoing “Champlain-Hudson Power Express” project. This project, set to come online in the spring of 2026, aims to transport hydroelectric power from Canada to New York City to compensate for the energy gap left by the closure of the Indian Point nuclear power plant in 2021.

President Trump recently announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Canadian energy products and Chinese goods. This policy has caused market turmoil, with the Trump administration ultimately agreeing to a 30-day delay in enforcement to seek negotiation space.

However, Clark pointed out that even with lower energy tariffs, it could still lead to increased costs for fossil fuels and green energy usage. Additionally, he warned that if tariffs are fully implemented, it would affect the annual $43 billion in trade between the U.S. and Canada, including $22.8 billion worth of goods imported by New York State from Canada in 2023, such as jewelry, precious metals, aluminum, and automobiles.

The tariff policy has sparked clear political divisions within New York State. Republican Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt supports the move, viewing it as a negotiation strategy aimed at securing more favorable trade agreements for the U.S. He believes that while there may be some short-term economic pain, in the long run, it will provide the U.S. with better trade conditions and economic policies.

However, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul strongly opposes this policy. During an interview with MSNBC on February 2, she stated that the trade relationship between New York and Canada is close, with farmers, manufacturers, and various industries on both sides relying on this smooth cross-border trade. Any hindrance to this relationship would have an impact on New York’s economy.