CUSMA exports surge as Canadian companies rush to make goods compliant

Transport trucks approach the Canada/USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. Fitch Ratings says 81 per cent of goods exported to the U.S. from Canada were compliant with CUSMA, up from just 56 per cent in May. Photo by Rob Gurdebeke/The Canadian Press

United States President Donald Trump has prompted a flood of companies to become eligible for protection from duties under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) after ratcheting up tariffs on Canadian goods that did not, according to Fitch Ratings Inc.

The ratings agency this week said 81 per cent of goods exported to the U.S. from Canada were compliant with CUSMA, up from just 56 per cent in May, according to its calculations.

Some companies had to complete or obtain additional paperwork to document the origin of their supp