Michigan furniture maker says Canada tariffs threaten family income

A Michigan furniture manufacturer says the latest US tariffs on Canadian goods are directly threatening his family's livelihood. Michael Howard II, who runs Howard Family Designs in Warren, said a 50% levy on Canadian imports has driven up the cost of materials like drywall, sheet goods, and lumber, forcing clients to delay projects and eroding his profit margins.

"Just that one project cost our family thousands of dollars in profit, which impacts the ability for us to put food on the table for our family, but also impacts the ability for us to give back to our community," Howard said.

Howard and his wife launched the business a decade ago, crafting everything from dining tables to bookcases. He dismissed the idea that the US can simply do without Canadian goods, calling it "disingenuous" and "absolutely not truthful."

The new tariffs, which took effect over the weekend, apply to roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian exports — about 5% of Canada's annual shipments to the US — including items from hockey sticks to agricultural products. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has pledged "dollar for dollar" retaliatory measures starting September 8.

Across the border in Windsor, Ontario, city councillor Renaldo Agostino said Canadians feel hurt and angry, but most direct their frustration at the White House rather than at Americans. "This is more of a Washington thing," he said, adding that many Canadians have family and friends in the US and are insulted by repeated references to Canada as "the 51st state."

The escalation marks a sharp turn for two nations that long shared one of the world's most stable trade relationships, leaving businesses and families on both sides of the Detroit River uncertain about what comes next.