Washington, D.C. — Today, mayors and local officials from the United States, Mexico, and Canada issued a joint statement in support of North American trade at the conclusion of a trilateral summit in Washington D.C. Representatives of a multiparty group of mayors and other local officials representing cities and municipalities from the three nations are standing together to promote the value of fair trade for their communities and warn of the high cost tariffs impose on families, businesses, and local communities.
The mayors’ joint statement is below:
“As mayors from Canada, Mexico, and the United States, we urge national leaders to respect existing trade agreements between our three nations. For nearly 30 years, North American trade has provided immense value to all our communities, creating jobs and reducing the cost of living for families. Our nations have no better trading partners, and when we trade with fair rules – like under the US-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) – all three benefit. In 2022, with strong support from the mayors of all three nations, our USMCA countries supported approximately 17 million jobs, marking a 32% increase compared to 2020. The escalation of tariffs only raises costs for businesses, workers, and consumers across North America. Tariffs are taxes that increase the cost of living, drain bank accounts, put supply chains and jobs at risk and disrupt the local businesses that drive the economies in all three nations. Our communities will feel the impact first.
“Our cities and countries need policies that encourage investment and facilitate the efficient movement of goods and services across borders to sustain economic prosperity and job creation. We urge national leaders to put our communities first, end the trade war, and keep our countries strong with free and fair trade. Our families, businesses, and workers depend on it.”