P.E.I. trailer maker shifts focus to Canadian customers amid U.S. tariffs

Trout River Industries is shifting toward Canadian customers as U.S. tariffs disrupt its growth plans in Prince Edward Island.

The company makes large commercial trailers, and the United States once accounted for 40 per cent of its sales.

Each trailer sold in the U.S. faces a 25 per cent tariff, with the company paying half and U.S. dealerships and customers covering the rest.

The manufacturer has absorbed nearly $1 million in tariff costs, while sales have fallen on both sides of the border.

Ottawa awarded the company nearly $988,000 in non-repayable funding through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, as part of more than $6.9 million shared among 17 Island businesses and organizations.

The grant will support an inventory building that can help workers prepare trailer parts together and reduce the amount of stock the company keeps.

Trout River is also pursuing new markets in Western Canada and northern Ontario, while exploring opportunities in Europe.