MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL – SPECIAL LEVY NOTICE  

MEMBERS’ LEVY FOR 2026

The Canadian kitchen cabinet industry is facing an exceptional situation with sagging business and consumer confidence through the country, and on-going trade and tariff issues with the U.S. CKCA has taken extraordinary action for its members during this period and intends on continuing supportive initiatives in 2026.

The current challenge to our Canadian kitchen cabinet industry is something that has the potential to affect all cabinet businesses in the months ahead. Manufacturers who export to the U.S. today are feeling immense pressure with the impact of the 25% U.S. tariffs (this is to rise to 50% on January 1, 2026). Those manufacturers will need to pivot from their American market and will inevitably be looking to sell into the Canadian market. This “pivot” will have an impact on the whole of the Canadian industry, as the larger manufacturers will be competing with local cabinet businesses. We only need look at the situation in the U.S., where its domestic market is predominantly large cabinet manufacturers and few, smaller regional/local businesses.

To address this industry challenge, this fall CKCA attained the services of Earnscliffe Strategies, a prominent government affairs firm in Ottawa with specific expertise in business and Canada-U.S. trade, and working knowledge and experience on both sides of the border. Earnscliffe Strategies has raised awareness in Ottawa with politicians and key policy-decision makers to the struggles of kitchen cabinet businesses since the implementation of the U.S. tariffs. Our government relations firm is advancing a multi-prong action plan that emphasizes:

• the consideration of the Canadian kitchen cabinet industry with the federal Buy Canadian program, and the necessity of sourcing Canadian kitchen cabinets for the federal government’s housing initiative;
• consideration of support for the Canadian industry in response to the unfair trade practices of China and other Asian countries; and,
• greater awareness of the challenges before kitchen cabinet manufacturers in the trade negotiations with the United States – both with Canada’s CUSMA negotiations and bilateral trade and tariff discussions.

Earnscliffe Strategies is also advising CKCA on the federal government’s relief initiatives to support Canadian industry through the country’s current business challenges.

CKCA is applying a special levy of $150 to help offset the costs of the necessary government relations work through 2026. This levy will be collected at the time of membership renewal.

Should there be questions or concerns about the levy, please contact CKCA Executive Director Sandra Wood.