Six categories make up the bulk of Canada's $27.6 billion response to U.S. tariffs. Here's what each one actually covers.

Ottawa's countermeasures against the U.S., set to take effect September 8, span six broad categories: steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics. For businesses trying to figure out whether they're actually affected, the category names alone aren't always enough to tell.

Where the exposure typically shows up

Steel covers both raw and finished steel products, which affects manufacturers and construction suppliers sourcing from U.S. mills as much as it affects anyone importing finished steel goods directly. Dairy is narrower in scope but hits food processors and retailers carrying specific U.S. dairy products. Appliances and agricultural equipment both tend to catch businesses that don't think of themselves as "importers" in the traditional sense — a farm supply retailer or an appliance dealer sourcing directly from a U.S. manufacturer falls squarely into scope.

Pulp and paper affects a narrower but concentrated set of businesses, mainly in printing, packaging, and paper-goods manufacturing. Electronics is the broadest and least predictable category, since it can touch anything from components to finished consumer goods depending on where a given product falls on the government's list.

What to actually check

The government's consolidated list is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific product is affected — category names are a starting point, not a substitute for checking the tariff line. If you're a wholesaler or retailer rather than a direct importer, it's also worth asking your suppliers directly whether the countermeasures affect their landed costs, since that impact may show up in your purchase price before September 8 even if you never touch the border yourself.