One Nova Scotia vacation rental business says they are doing their part to support Canada amid the trade war with the United States.
In a Facebook post on Sunday, Daniel Khan, owner and operator of Roseway River Cottages in Shelburne, N.S., announced he would be applying a 25 per cent additional fee to any booking coming from the U.S.
“I didn’t know what the reactions were going to be and they were fast and furious. But I think most of them were positive,” says Khan.
Khan says the decision was made “in response to Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs,” and that as a Canadian business owner, he felt he needed to stand with the country.
“It was my way to say we really support decisions that are being made for Canadians as a whole,” says Khan. “In no way am I saying we don’t want American businesses to come into Nova Scotia or this area…this is harming both sides from my perspective,” Khan.
According to Lorn Sheehan, a strategy professor at Dalhousie University, it’s a sign of the times.
“I think it’s likely that we’re going to see other Canadian businesses that are feeling a bit emotional at the time, make their own decisions about how they interact with United States customers that are purchasing their products or services,” says Sheehan, who noted the country could see a boost to the tourism industry. “When it comes to international tourists like Americans coming to Canada, that is an export industry.
“We are receiving dollars from Americans coming here. And that’s not subject to tariff. So, that’s one positive thing for this industry in Canada.”
Khan says Canadians and Nova Scotians can support industries across the board, by shopping local.
“We can’t just stop business as a whole,” says Khan. “And therefore this ‘shop Canadian, shop local’ mentality has to take root. We need to support businesses interactively…across the entire country,” he says.
Though Khan says he would rather “lose business and support Canada,” he says there may still be implications on his business.
“We will feel the pain. But I think I’d rather feel the pain and say, ‘Hey, we’re standing with Canadians across the board regardless of industry and see where it goes from there,’” he says. “And hopefully instead of a fist being used in this negotiation, it will come to a handshake and get it done.”
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