Town of Whitby – Mayor’s Tariff Task Force
The Town of Whitby is committed to fostering a resilient, sustainable business community amid an evolving economic landscape. In response to the impact of imposed U.S. tariffs, Whitby took strategic action to support affected sectors. Through a collaboration between the Economic Development Department and the Mayor’s Office, the Mayor’s Tariff Task Force was established.
The Task Force was created to develop a focused approach to the challenges and opportunities presented by U.S. tariffs, examine related issues, and provide informed recommendations to protect Whitby’s economic resilience and competitiveness.
An initial Terms of Reference was developed to define the Task Force’s purpose, objectives, responsibilities, and membership. Its objectives included:
- Identifying the impact of tariffs on local businesses
- Engaging stakeholders and industry experts to gather insights and data
- Strengthening Whitby’s local economy
- Identifying advocacy opportunities at the regional, provincial, and federal levels
- Exploring diversification strategies to safeguard local supply chains
Since its inception in March 2025, the Mayor’s Tariff Task Force has:
- Met monthly with the Mayor, staff, the Whitby Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Whitby BIA, and business representatives (including the non-profit sector) to gather industry insights
- Developed and launched a dedicated landing page at Whitby.ca/tariffs with regularly updated information
- Integrated tariff-related content into Whitby’s social media channels to raise public awareness (example post).
- Conducted a survey to assess impact, business needs, opportunities, and challenges
- Supported the introduction of a deferral and installment program for industrial development charges
- Backed an amendment to the Town’s procurement by-law to prioritize Canadian suppliers and limit U.S. bids on municipal contracts
- Provided ongoing advisory recommendations to Council to maintain economic responsiveness
An upcoming webinar, hosted in collaboration with the Region of Durham, will focus on “How to Do Business with the Town.”
The Task Force will remain active as long as support is needed. Continued outreach, including targeted Business Retention and Expansion surveys, will ensure its efforts align with evolving business needs. The Town will re-evaluate the Task Force based on feedback and will continue pursuing opportunities to help local businesses withstand tariff-related pressures and diversify supply chain options.
