Associated Equipment Distributors (AED), the trade association representing the U.S. and Canadian equipment dealers and manufacturers, recently met with key decision-makers across the Ontario government. The central message was unambiguous: free and fair trade with the United States supports both a strong U.S. economy and a strong Ontario economy, and that the free trade relationship has been one of the most successful economic partnerships in history.
AED continues to fight for the best interests of its members
AED members operate across every region of Ontario, employ thousands of skilled workers, and support construction, infrastructure, resource development projects, and the province’s agriculture and farming sector. AED stressed that trade barriers, retaliatory tariffs, and market uncertainty directly threaten jobs, investment, and the province’s capacity to deliver on critical projects.
“AED represents businesses that supply and service the equipment that builds, feeds, and fuels Ontario. Roads, bridges, transit lines, hospitals, affordable housing, food, and energy — none of that happens without our members. And, stable trade with the United States is critical for the future prosperity of Ontario’s equipment industry, our customers, and its citizens,” stated Robert Henderson, AED’s executive vice president.
“Today, that trade relationship is under threat. Tariffs, retaliatory measures, and political uncertainty are already forcing our members and customers to make difficult decisions,” Henderson continued.
Craig Drury, vice president of operations for Vermeer Canada in Brampton, ON, and vice chairman of the AED Foundation, outlined the impact not only on businesses but also on their employees, stating, “When our customers don’t need our equipment, our technicians don’t work. When our technicians don’t work, their families feel it.”
Representatives from AED stressed four key priorities in relation to Ontario’s trade partnership with the U.S. to provincial officials:
- Defend the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Framework: AED urged the provincial government to work alongside federal partners to firmly oppose any new tariffs, border measures, or trade restrictions that would increase costs and erode competitiveness for equipment dealers operating across the Ontario-U.S. border.
- Reject Retaliatory Escalation: AED cautioned against retaliatory trade measures that, while politically understandable, risk triggering further cycles of protectionism harmful to Ontario’s equipment, infrastructure, agriculture, and resource sectors.
- Prioritize Investment in Critical Industries: AED called on provincial officials to accelerate provincial infrastructure and agricultural spending, which sustains domestic equipment demand and insulates Ontario’s industry from external trade shocks.
- Maintain Direct Partnerships with U.S. Counterparts: AED encouraged Ontario to maintain and strengthen state-level relationships in key U.S. markets, reinforcing the deep economic and community ties that underpin continental trade.
The Canada-U.S. trade relationship is the largest bilateral trading partnership in the world. For Ontario’s equipment industry, cross-border commerce represents billions of dollars in annual activity, encompassing the sale, rental, and service of construction, agricultural, industrial, and material-handling equipment. Disruption to this relationship would have immediate and cascading effects on jobs, supply chains, and project timelines across the province.
“These are not partisan asks,” declared Michael Rugeroni, vice president of Joe Johnson Equipment in Innisfil, ON, and a member of AED’s Board of Directors. “They are pro-jobs, pro-Ontario asks — and we need the government to act on them.”
AED members reported that trade uncertainty has impacted purchasing decisions, financing conditions, and customers’ willingness to commit to major equipment investments. Brian Osterndorff, president and CEO of Robert’s Equipment in Chesley, ON, and an AED board member, outlined, “The workers who service our agricultural equipment, who operate our machines, and who keep this province fed — they are counting on this government to keep fighting for them. Not eventually. Now.”
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