With more than $1 billion in goods exported from Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District to Canada each year, Chamber leaders and Canadian officials discussed how changing trade policy could affect businesses, workers and consumers in the Harrisburg Region.
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC President & CEO Ryan C. Unger met Wednesday with Canadian diplomats for a conversation focused on the U.S.-Canada economic relationship and the potential impact of new tariffs on businesses and consumers.
The discussion brought a regional perspective to an international trade issue, highlighting the significant economic ties between Canada, Pennsylvania and the Harrisburg Region.
Joining Unger for the discussion were Geoff Gartshore, Deputy Consul General of Canada, and Sarah Nevins, Political and Public Affairs Officer with the Consulate General of Canada. The officials shared insight into the interconnected U.S. and Canadian economies and concerns about how new tariffs could increase costs for American businesses and households.
Harrisburg is located within Pennsylvania’s 10th Congressional District (PA-10), where businesses export approximately $1 billion in goods and $166 million in services to Canada annually, according to information provided by the Embassy of Canada. Those exports support an estimated 5,800 jobs, while another 1,225 people are employed by 38 Canadian-owned companies operating within PA-10.
Among the district’s leading exports to Canada are sugar and confectionery products, audio and video equipment, electrical equipment and components, computer equipment, and engines and turbines.
“Trade policy may be determined at the federal level, but its effects are felt by businesses and families here in the Harrisburg Region,” Unger said. “Maintaining an open dialogue with our international partners helps us better understand those impacts and ensures we can continue advocating for a strong, competitive environment for our regional business community.”
A Significant Pennsylvania-Canada Economic Relationship
The economic relationship extends throughout the Commonwealth. Pennsylvania exports approximately $13.9 billion in goods and $2.2 billion in services to Canada annually, according to materials provided by Canadian officials. Canada is Pennsylvania’s largest export market, with the Commonwealth selling more goods to Canada than to its next four largest foreign markets combined.
Canadian investment also has a significant presence in Pennsylvania. Approximately 317 Canadian-owned companies employ 29,600 workers across the Commonwealth, while Pennsylvania exports to Canada support an estimated 66,800 additional jobs.
Pennsylvania also imports approximately $13.4 billion in Canadian goods annually, including energy products, aluminum, pharmaceuticals, plastics, food products, paper products and steel.
That interconnectedness was central to Wednesday’s discussion.
Examining the Impact of Tariffs
Gartshore and Nevins shared the Canadian government’s concerns regarding proposed Section 338 tariffs on Canadian imports and their potential impact on American businesses and households.
Materials provided by the Canadian government estimate that a proposed 50% tariff on approximately $20 billion in imports from Canada could cost American businesses and households as much as $10 billion annually. Canadian officials emphasized that many of the affected imports are not finished consumer goods, but materials and components used by American manufacturers and businesses.
Examples cited by Canadian officials include electrical equipment used in hospitals, data centers and utility substations; industrial machinery supporting manufacturing, construction and agriculture; and plastics, paperboard, furnishings and other products used by businesses and households.
The officials cautioned that tariffs on those goods could increase input costs for U.S. companies, with some of those costs ultimately passed along to consumers.
The issue also has a direct connection to Pennsylvania policymaking. State Rep. Nate Davidson, D-Dauphin/Cumberland, was appointed in 2025 to serve on the Canada-United States Relations Committee of the Council of State Governments East, a group of state and provincial legislators that works to strengthen cooperation between the United States and Canada. The committee addresses binational issues including economic competitiveness, trade, energy, agriculture, transportation and security.
At the time of his appointment, Davidson emphasized the importance of the relationship to Pennsylvania’s economy, noting that Canada is the Commonwealth’s largest export partner.
For the Harrisburg Regional Chamber, Wednesday’s conversation is part of its broader public affairs work to connect regional business interests with policymakers and stakeholders at the local, state, federal and international levels.
The Chamber will continue monitoring developments in U.S.-Canada trade policy and engaging with partners on issues that affect the competitiveness, costs and growth of businesses throughout the Harrisburg Region.
Data cited in this article was provided by the Embassy of Canada and Consulate General of Canada through materials shared during the August 12 meeting. Trade figures primarily reflect 2025 U.S. Census Bureau data and other sources identified by the Embassy of Canada.
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ABOUT HARRISBURG REGIONAL CHAMBER & CREDC
For 140 years, the Harrisburg Regional Chamber & CREDC has served as the region’s catalyst for economic prosperity. The organization combines business, community, and economic development services to enhance the region’s vitality and livability. The Chamber is a five-star accredited chamber through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce—a distinction held by fewer than 1 percent of chambers nationwide. CREDC is the region’s toolbox for economic development. It is the only Certified Economic Development Organization (CEDO) approved by the Commonwealth’s Department of Community and Economic Development to perform economic development activities regionally using Pennsylvania’s funding programs across Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties.
