The head of the Canadian Federation of Independent Companies said that all US tariffs on imports would be the worst case scenario if they kick in tomorrow.
But Dan Kelly says that ongoing threats and uncertainty will continue to cause economic damage, even if there is another last minute reprieve from US President Donald Trump.
He says some small businesses are considering lining up alternative suppliers in the US, while others are putting the brakes on planned expansions.
Meanwhile, Matthew Holmes, head of public policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, says tariffs are kept down every day.
Jim Kilpatrick, a Deloitte Canada leader in global supply chains and network operations, says he has been telling his clients for several months to take the threat of US tariffs seriously.
He says some companies are rushing goods across borders ahead of tariffs that could kick tariffs, and advise businesses to consider contractual obligations when doing business across borders.