The United States imposes a 50% surcharge on Canada in their trade war

The United States raised tariffs on certain Canadian products on Tuesday, amid an escalation of the trade war between Washington and Ottawa. The 50% surcharge targets, among other things, certain types of cheese, animal furs, motorized vessels, paper-based products and steel.

At the same time, some Canadian goods that had been subject to the tariff were exempted. The exempt products include toilet paper, cement and whisky bottled in containers larger than four liters.

The new measures had been announced last week, after Canadian authorities imposed tariffs on several US products in response to the surcharges previously introduced by Washington.

The US administration responded by threatening to ban imports of certain Canadian products starting September 29. The list includes alcoholic beverages, whey and motorcycles with engines larger than 800 cubic centimeters.

The trade conflict is putting pressure on Canada's economy, which is closely tied to the US market. Nearly three-quarters of Canadian exports are destined for the United States, the world's largest market.