The family behind one of Canada’s most well-known ice-cream brands says they’re absorbing “all immediate increases in our costs” as the U.S.-Canada trade war heats up.
Ashley Chapman, chief operating officer at the Ontario-headquartered Chapman’s Ice Cream, said in a statement circulating on social media the family decided to take that measure for the rest of the year to maintain their prices.
Chapman said they wanted to do its part to support Canadians as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to threaten economic annexation, which Chapman called the “greatest threat to our sovereignty” since the Second World War.
“We are actively looking internationally for alternative suppliers of ingredients that are unavailable within Canada,” Chapman said in the March 7 statement.
“We will continue to reinforce Canadian-first policies within our operations because together we are stronger.”
Get breaking National news
For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
Since his January inauguration, Trump has threatened to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports for a slew of ever-changing grievances against Ottawa, such as immigration, fentanyl and the banking system.
Trump’s foreign economic policy has changed rapidly, and despite the threat remaining, Washington has been implementing carveouts and 30-day reprieves for impacted nations.
However, Ottawa and the provinces have imposed their own measures, vowing not to remove them until the tariff threat is gone completely. Ottawa initially imposed 25 per cent tariffs on $30-billion worth of American goods, and expanded that list to include nearly $30-billion worth of more goods in response to Trump’s 25 per cent tariff on global steel and aluminum imports.
Each province has introduced their own measures, with the most common being the removal of American alcohol for purchase. In Ontario, Premier Doug Ford paused a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states, a move that enraged the White House and led to what Ford called an “olive branch” being extended by commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.
The two officials, and a slew of others, were scheduled to meet in Washington on Thursday for high-stakes talks.
The trade war has led to a surge in unity across the nation, and Canadian officials have been encouraging citizens and businesses alike to do what they can to buy Canadian.
Trump’s ongoing comments of making Canada the 51st state, saying there wouldn’t be tariffs if it was, has struck a nerve with many Canadians in the country, including Chapman.
“We will never be the 51st state!” she said in her statement.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
