Invest in Hamilton

The City of Hamilton is creating the Hamilton Tariff Response Team (TRT) to provide new, targeted services to diversify local supply chains and build long-term economic resilience in Hamilton in response to the local economic impacts of tariffs. The TRT expands on the business support services already offered through the City’s Economic Development team, and this work is supported by an investment of over $390,000 from the Government of Ontario through the Trade-Impacted Communities Program.

The TRT will provide support to tariff-impacted businesses in two ways. The first stream will amplify the City of Hamilton’s capacity to deliver tariff-related corporate aftercare to local businesses that have been impacted by tariffs. This level of engagement, which builds on the work that is already done through the City of Hamilton’s Economic Development Office, will allow for deep dives with local businesses with the goal of gaining detailed insights on supply chain opportunities, leveraging new domestic markets, and identifying priority actions to retain and grow businesses in Hamilton.

The second stream will focus on producing a new local business intelligence ecosystem. This ecosystem will pair the primary insights gained through corporate aftercare with procured quantitative trade data that will allow the TRT to advance tailored and targeted local supports like expediting the removal of red tape and delivering detailed trade insights that can be replicated across other tariff-impacted communities.

The Tariff Response Team includes representatives from major Hamilton organizations including Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, the Stoney Creek Chamber of Commerce, the Flamborough Chamber of Commerce, the Hamilton Oshawa Port Authority, and Vantage Group.

To support the Tariff Response Team, Shelly Ann Murphy has joined the Economic Development Office as a Senior Project Lead, Trade and Tariff Response. Shelly Ann will be working to deliver enhanced corporate aftercare with Hamilton’s companies as well as providing the analytical support that will translate business intelligence into targeted municipal supports, partner programs, and public data products.