In a surprising trend emerging from the ongoing trade tensions between the United States and Canada, several American companies are choosing to relocate their operations north of the border. This corporate migration comes as a direct response to significant policy shifts in the United States affecting trade, immigration, and energy regulations under the Trump administration.
Brewing Education Crosses the Border
The Siebel Institute of Technology, recognized as the oldest beer brewing school in the Americas, has announced it will move its operations from Chicago to Montreal after an impressive 154-year history in the United States. The institution confirmed via social media that it will establish new facilities near Molson's original brewery site effective January 1, 2026.
John Hannafan, Siebel's general manager and director of education, explained the decision: "Recent regulatory changes in the U.S. have made it much more challenging for many of our international students, who have become the majority of our student body, to attend classes in person."
The relocation follows comprehensive analysis of operational costs, industry trends, and notably, increased student visa challenges for entering the United States. This year, the Trump administration implemented cuts to academic research, reduced visas for foreign students, and increased taxes on certain elite institutions.
Distillery Production Shifts North
Phillips Distilling Company, the manufacturer behind the popular Sour Puss liquor, has signed a five-year production agreement to manufacture its colorful sweet-and-sour beverages in Montreal. This move comes after several Canadian provinces ceased stocking American-made alcohol products.
Andy England, the company's CEO, revealed to Global News that "the vast, vast majority—about 98 percent—is sold in Canada. In many ways, we think of it as being a Canadian brand. All the more reason we should produce it in Canada now." Production has already commenced at Montreal's Station 22 distillery in the city's east end.
Expert Analysis on the Trend
Julian Karaguesian, a lecturer at McGill University and international trade expert, provided context for these corporate moves. "Each one has a slightly different context in this larger picture," Karaguesian told National Post. "But they all have the same common theme, that amidst a broader pullback of American companies from Canada, we're having these small, symbolic victories, which are great at this time when people are hurting."
Karaguesian highlighted the contrasting approaches to foreign students between the two nations: "The idea that you could potentially be rounded up in the street, even temporarily, by an ICE agent, scared a lot of foreign students. It's not the Canadian way to go and round up people. And we don't have anywhere near the kind of anti-foreigner message in our country that's currently the case in the United States."
While Canada has reduced its own student visa numbers from record highs over the past two years, the situation in the United States appears markedly different according to trade experts. These corporate relocations represent notable developments in the ongoing economic relationship between the two North American neighbors, potentially signaling a shift in how businesses view operational stability and market access across the border.
