Since June, Bick’s pickles have been disappearing from some Canadian grocery shelves, caught in the crossfire of a tariff dispute that is exposing deep flaws in Ottawa’s trade strategy. The story of Bick’s is a telling case study in how well-intentioned policies can backfire, punishing consumers and domestic suppliers alike.

Bick’s was acquired by Smucker’s in 2011, and its Toronto production facility was shuttered soon after. Today, the brand is owned by TreeHouse Foods and manufactured in the United States. While the brand is no longer fully Canadian, parts of its supply chain remain here. The company still sources cucumbers from Canadian growers and lids from Canadian manufacturers. Under CUSMA, these raw cucumbers can cross into the U.S. without tariffs. Yet, once they are processed a

See Full Page