Local comic shop highlights impact of tariffs and inflation as trade war continues 

The situation at H&T Comics and Collectibles is one example of how the ongoing trade war is affecting businesses across the country

The ongoing trade war between Canada and the United States continues to affect businesses, both small and large, across the country, and businesses in Brockville are feeling the pressure.

H&T Comics and Collectibles, located in downtown Brockville, buys, sells and trades collectibles, and the trade war has had, and will continue to have, a huge impact on their business.

Being in the collectible business, they have a lot of American buyers, and owner Tracey Carr says those sales have dropped completely since the tariffs hit.

She says that if they do sell to the U.S., they have to pay the tariffs up front and hope they get the money back, which is a risk they do not want to take.

Canada recently put retaliatory tariffs on many American products, and Carr says that will also impact many of the items they sell.

Carr also says they are trying to avoid raising prices, but they may have no choice, especially if these retaliatory tariffs continue to affect items such as comics and video games, as it may become too much for them to take on.

She says it is also tough because they try to keep their prices as competitive as possible.

The business was set up at Comicon in Ottawa last weekend, and Carr said she talked with someone who is also being affected significantly by the tariffs, an unfortunately common story across Ontario and Canada.

She said they get their comics graded by CGC Comics in Florida, and when they come back, they are shipped in plastic. So, when H&T tries to sell them back to American buyers, there is an extra cost because there is a tariff on plastic.

She says their biggest worry is the future of the business, as they rely on disposable income, and with prices rising, people have less money to spend on things like collectibles.

The situation at H&T Comics and Collectibles is one example of how the ongoing trade war is affecting businesses across the country.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has urged Canadians to support Canadian businesses, and this just goes to show how important it is to do so.

Story by: Evan Gibb