As of this week, many small Canadian exporters may be eligible for rebates of some United States tariffs under a new system put in place by the U.S. government following the recent Supreme Court decision, said the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
Canadian businesses that served as the "Importer of Record" and paid U.S. tariffs on non-CUSMA-compliant goods under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) between Feb. 4, 2025, and Feb. 24, 2026, may now be eligible for refunds, stated CFIB in a note on Tuesday.
About one-third of small Canadian exporters faced tariffs on goods that didn't qualify for the CUSMA exemption. One quarter (26%) of these firms were the Importer of Record and should qualify for these rebates, pointed out CFIB.
"Unfortunately," other small Canadian exporters lowered their prices for or cost-shared with their U.S. customers to keep the business affected by the tariff and won't be eligible for this relief, it added.
"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," said Dan Kelly, CFIB president, in the note. "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."