Business leaders and academics say they hope to see Canada and the U.S. maintain free trade protections for most goods once an agreement is reached, even if the negotiations can't stave off certain sectoral tariffs.
It's unclear if the two countries will stick to the Aug. 1 deadline for wrapping up talks. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday negotiations were in an "intense phase," but U.S. President Donald Trump told reporters last week that Canada wasn't a priority for his administration amid trade talks with other partners.
Whether a deal is announced Friday or later, Canadian Federation of Independent Business president Dan Kelly said his organization's members feel "a good chunk" of trade must remain tariff-free in order for talks to be considered successful.