BRP says Can-Am motorcycles are excluded from new U.S. import ban, with effects likely delayed
BRP expects its Can-Am import disruption to emerge next year, while the new U.S. ban adds pressure on selected Canadian consumer-product exporters.
The United States put an import ban into effect early Tuesday covering nearly US$1 billion of Canadian goods, including alcoholic beverages, certain dairy products and motorcycles. Bombardier Recreational Products said its three-wheel Can-Am Spyder and Canyon motorcycles are among the products excluded from U.S. importation, creating a direct market-access issue for the Quebec-based manufacturer. [1]
BRP said the immediate operational effect should be limited because most production and shipments for the current season have already been completed. Its assessment points to a delayed exposure: the practical consequences for inventory flows and U.S.-bound sales are more likely to emerge in the next production cycle rather than during the remaining current-season shipments. [1]
The ban follows U.S. 50% tariffs imposed over the summer on roughly US$20 billion in Canadian imports, including measures the U.S. said addressed dairy, automobile and alcoholic-beverage policies. Canada responded with tariffs of 15%, 25% or 50% on U.S. imports on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and the U.S. described the subsequent import ban as a response to that retaliation. [1]
The overall value of the newly banned trade is small relative to the reported US$880 billion in annual two-way commerce, and one trade lawyer told AP that many affected goods had already become uneconomic to import under the earlier 50% tariff. Still, motorcycles are now subject to an outright restriction rather than a tariff cost, leaving affected exporters with less scope to absorb the measure through pricing or margin adjustments. [1]
Alcoholic beverages account for an estimated 87% of the US$967 million in Canadian imports covered by the ban, according to an American Action Forum calculation based on 2025 trade figures; some dairy products, including whey, are also covered. An analyst cited by AP said the ban marks a further escalation that could invite additional Canadian retaliation, while Canadian officials said their focus remains supporting businesses and diversifying trade relationships. [1]
This is a limited but concrete escalation for affected exporters: BRP has confirmed that specified Can-Am motorcycles cannot be imported into the United States, though it expects little effect until next year because current-season production and shipments are largely complete. The measure also covers dairy and alcohol, but its relatively small trade value and the reported pre-existing tariff burden constrain the near-term economy-wide impact. [1]