Negative CUSMA outcome biggest risk for Canadian economy

Many Canadian business leaders said losing their protections under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement is the greatest risk to their companies. Photo by LARS HAGBERG/AFP/Getty Images files

With the fate of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement ( CUSMA ) currently hanging in the balance, a new survey from KPMG shows the degree to which trade with the United States is of concern to Canadian business leaders.

Of the 501 leaders KPMG surveyed, more than ninety per cent believe that the greatest risk to Canada’s economy is a negative outcome in renegotiating free trade with the U.S.

Eighty-eight per cent said losing their existing protections under CUSMA is the greatest risk to their companies, and 84 per cent expect to pay some amount of U.S. tariffs , even if their goods qualify under