Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale recently met with elected officials from New York State to discuss cross-border relations, economic cooperation, and growing concerns over U.S. tariffs. The meetings included a virtual discussion with Plattsburgh Town Supervisor Michael Cashman and an in-person meeting with New York State Assemblyman Scott Gray and Massena Mayor Gregg Paquin. The talks focused on the negative impact of tariffs on businesses and tourism, as well as long-term trade relations between Canada and the U.S.
“We had an opportunity to meet with Assemblyman Gray to express our concerns about tariffs,” Towndale said. “He understands the impact this could have, especially on hospitality and tourism in northern New York. He plans to raise the issue in Albany.”
While tourism is a key concern, Towndale emphasized that tariffs could have severe consequences for Cornwall’s industries. “Our major concern is that our companies — some do automotive finishes, some do food and other products. It’s their bottom lines and productivity that can be impacted by this. We’re talking about hundreds of jobs and millions of dollars in the economy.” The potential impact isn’t just on local businesses but also on regional trade hubs like Plattsburgh, which relies on economic ties with Canada. “Plattsburgh is a hub for tourism from Quebec and Montreal specifically. Their water tower is bilingual, which tells you a lot,” Towndale said. “There are Canadian industries there. Blue Bird has a facility, and they employ local residents. About 80% of people in the region are impacted by trade with Canada.”
The Cornwall Economic Development Department and the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce have been gathering data on how local businesses will be affected. “We’re working with the Chamber and Economic Development on this, and surveys have been launched to get more information,” Towndale said. “A lot of businesses don’t report directly to us because they have to go through their main offices, so we don’t always get the information in a timely manner. But we know there will be an impact.”
The mayor also acknowledged potential government action to address the situation. “We’re getting signals from higher levels of government that they’re going to ease the rules for interprovincial trade and procurement so that we can actually favour Canadian companies. We’re going to see what we can do locally to support our businesses as much as possible.”
To encourage local economic resilience, Towndale is supporting initiatives to promote Cornwall-made products. “When we had our meeting, I mentioned it would be nice to see something like a ‘Made in Cornwall’ label. There is some labeling that has come forward with that, like Ground Soap branding their products as local,” he said. “We want to highlight local products for consumer use, but a lot of our larger industries export for other commercial or industrial entities.” This push aligns with broader “Buy Canadian” efforts. “There’s a big push for people to buy Canadian products, not necessarily where they’re buying them but what they’re buying,” he noted.
Towndale framed the tariff issue as part of a larger shift in U.S. trade policy. “This is an isolationist policy being adopted at the highest levels of the U.S. government, but the impact is seen at the lowest level. Local businesses and manufacturers are the first to get hit, and we’re already seeing layoffs. Multiple companies laid off workers after the first tariff announcements, and even with the postponement, some still went through with cuts. We’re not immune — this could seriously happen here.”
Despite tensions surrounding tariffs, Towndale reaffirmed Cornwall’s commitment to maintaining strong relationships with American counterparts. “We’re one region at the end of the day—there’s an international border, but many people live, work, and shop on both sides,” he said. “These relationships highlight our interconnectivity, and it’s crucial we work together to push back against policies that could harm our economies.”
Towndale also addressed reports of hostility toward American visitors. “I’ve heard reports of vandalism against vehicles with New York plates and notes being left, and that’s not appropriate,” he said. “Many of those vehicles belong to Akwesasne residents. Americans are welcome here, just as I’d assume we’re still welcome there. We’re not going to take steps like other cities removing American flags — that only increases tensions.”
While municipal leaders have limited direct influence on tariffs, Towndale stressed the importance of continued dialogue and advocacy. “We have to keep that conversation going. People close to the border understand why tariffs are a bad idea, but those in the middle of the U.S. might not. We need to keep pushing this issue at all levels.”
Cornwall will continue working with partners on both sides of the border to advocate against tariffs, promote local industry, and strengthen economic ties. “We’ll keep engaging with our peers across the border to advocate for our businesses and ensure economic stability for both sides,” Towndale said. “We need to get the message across and hopefully change minds in Washington.”
