Canadian Companies Can Now Claim Tariff Refunds

Canadian exporters may now be eligible for rebates on certain U.S. tariffs under a new system introduced by the U.S. government following a recent Supreme Court ruling.

As of April 21, businesses that served as the ‘importer of record’ and paid tariffs on non-Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA)-compliant goods under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act between Feb. 4, 2025, and Feb. 24, 2026, may qualify for refunds.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) reports that approximately one-third of small Canadian exporters faced tariffs on goods that did not qualify for the CUSMA exemption. One-quarter of these firms were the ‘importer of record’ and should be entitled to these rebates.

“While it’s good news that some Canadian exporters may get over a year’s worth of tariff revenue back, it’s not an easy system to navigate,” says CFIB president Dan Kelly. “Canadian firms will need a U.S. customs account, a U.S. bank account and may have to work with their customs brokers to get a refund.”

Canadian exporters that lowered their prices for, or cost-shared with, their U.S. customers to retain business affected by the tariffs will not be eligible for this relief.

The rebates also won’t help businesses affected by sectoral tariffs.

“Sectoral tariffs are, sadly, still in place and are having a deep impact on many Canadian small firms,” says Kelly. “This mess is a reminder that Canada-U.S. trade is not just a big business issue and progress on a renewed CUSMA agreement can’t come soon enough.”