Celtic Jeweler Shuts Down Due to U.S. Tariffs

0:00It's March 25th. This is Vancouver News today, AI-powered stories from your city. A popular jewelry store in North Vancouver is shutting down after years in business. Keith Jack, who specializes in handmade Celtic pieces, managed to weather the COVID-19 pandemic, but says US tariffs proved too much. Two, overcome. Those duties started biting last year, reaching as high as 35% on his imports. The problem stems from some production happening overseas, which means his goods don't qualify for duty-free treatment under the Canada United States. Mexico agreement. Retailers that used to buy from him have switched to other suppliers to avoid the extra costs. Business groups like the Canadian Federation of Independent Business have sounded the alarm, warning that one in five small companies could fold. Without government support, they're pushing Ottawa to refund counter-tariff money affected firms and urging provinces to ease up on new taxes that hike operating expenses.

1:01Jack plans to shift everything online in a bid to save the company, but closing the physical store means laying off employees. He points out, this creates real hardships that policy makers south of the border often overlook. The doors will close for good at the end of May, highlighting how trade tensions continue to squeeze Canadian makers.