New research commissioned by Purolator reveals that for Canadian and U.S. supply chain leaders, uncertainty related to trade policy changes and cross-border compliance is now more disruptive than tariffs themselves.
Financial Impact of Tariffs
Surveyed businesses reported tariffs have reduced revenues by an average of 23 percent, with average annual losses of $661,000 for Canadian businesses and $710,000 for U.S. businesses. The findings provide insight into how businesses report responding to ongoing trade volatility ahead of the July 2026 Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA / USMCA) review.
Operational Changes and Readiness Gap
While 93 percent of businesses surveyed have made operational changes in response to tariffs, only 39 percent feel fully prepared to implement more if conditions worsen. Supply chain leaders say unpredictability is harder to manage than the tariff costs themselves.
Readiness for the upcoming CUSMA / USMCA review remains uneven, despite its potential to shape North American trade conditions for years to come. The findings show many companies are still responding tactically, even as longer-term trade conditions remain unclear.
Survey Methodology
The research is based on a survey of 348 supply chain and logistics decision-makers across the retail, technology, healthcare and industrial sectors in Canada and the United States and supported by 41 in-depth interviews. The full report, The Burden of Uncertainty: How North American Businesses are Shaping Their Response to Tariffs and What Trade Volatility Really Costs, is now available at purolator.com.
Expert Commentary
“The upcoming CUSMA / USMCA review is a critical moment for cross-border trade, yet many businesses are still reacting rather than preparing. What we see in the data is a readiness gap. Shippers need clear information and practical options they can use now, especially when decisions can't wait for perfect clarity,” said Brett Huttman, Vice President, Strategy, Marketing and Communications at Purolator.
Only 16 percent of Canadian shippers described themselves as “very supported” by their logistics partners, compared to 30 percent of U.S. shippers.
“When uncertainty is high, businesses are looking for a partner that can provide expertise and capability at scale. Experience, reach and reliability matter most when shippers are asked to reroute freight, reassess suppliers or change plans with limited notice,” Huttman added.
