Tariffs - the next step

From Free Trade to 50% tariffs

What the New U.S. Tariffs Mean for Canadian-Made Croquet Equipment

About a year ago, we published a blog explaining tariffs and what they meant for the croquet equipment we make here in Canada. At the time, the most dramatic part of the story was the escalating trade dispute between the United States and China. Both countries were imposing increasingly higher tariffs on products imported from the other. In some cases, tariff rates climbed above 100%.

For American croquet players, there was an important distinction. Chinese-made croquet products were becoming increasingly expensive to bring into the United States but Canadian-made croquet equipment continued to benefit from the long-standing free-trade relationship between Canada and the United States.

That has now changed in a very significant way.

4 decades of free trade

Canada and the United States have been the world's best neighbors for hundreds of years and had a free-trade agreement in place for almost 40 years. The Canada–United States Free Trade Agreement came into effect in 1989 and was subsequently expanded through NAFTA and then the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, or USMCA.

For Canadian manufacturers, this long-standing arrangement provided something extremely valuable: predictability. Products made in Canada could generally be sold to American customers without an additional tariff . That included croquet equipment.

For years, an American croquet player could purchase Canadian-made croquet sets, mallets or other equipment from Oakley Woods without a tariff being added at the border.

In our earlier blog, What Are Tariffs?, we explained how this worked and why the situation was  different for Canadian-made products compared with those products from China. At the time, the contrast was quite remarkable. Tariff rates on some Chinese products were climbing dramatically, while Canadian-made croquet equipment continued to enter the United States tariff-free. The rules have changed.

Enter: the new 50% tariff

On August 22, 2026, the United States began imposing new 50% tariffs on specified categories of Canadian goods. The measures followed a delay from their originally announced August 19 effective date. The tariffs cover a broad range of products, with the affected goods representing roughly US$20 - $27.6 billion in Canadian exports. The important point for Canadian manufacturers is that these tariffs fly in the face of the long-standing North American free trade agreement. The United States has specifically stated that the new Section 338 tariffs apply to covered goods even when those goods would otherwise qualify for preferential treatment under the USMCA. For the croquet community, there is a very unfortunate consequence.

What does this mean for croquet equipment?

For the time being, Canadian-made croquet sets and other equipment covered by the new U.S. tariff measures—including affected mallets—now face a 50% tariff when entering the United States.

That is an enormous increase from the previous situation.

Consider what that means in practical terms. If a Canadian-made croquet product valued at $1,000 is subject to a 50% tariff, the U.S. import duty would be $500. That tariff is not a payment to the Canadian manufacturer. It is a charge imposed at the U.S. border and paid by the American buyer. The additional cost is created by the tariff.

This is one of the most important things to understand about tariffs. They can be described as a tax on imports, but the economic consequences can extend well beyond the importer. The cost can ultimately affect manufacturers, retailers and, most importantly, consumers.

For an American croquet player looking to purchase a Canadian-made set or mallet, the result can therefore be a substantially higher landed cost.

A remarkable reversal

What makes this situation particularly striking is how quickly things have changed. Oakley Woods has been making croquet equipment in Canada for decades. American players could purchase our equipment knowing that the fact it was manufactured in Canada did not result in an additional tariff at the border. That was one of the advantages of the North American trading relationship.

Now, an American customer purchasing certain Canadian-made goods can face a 50% tariff simply because the product is covered by the new U.S. tariff measures. The contrast is difficult to miss.

A year ago, we were writing about tariffs exceeding 100% on Chinese products and explaining why those tariffs mattered to the price of croquet equipment. Today, Canadian manufacturers are dealing with a very different tariff environment of their own. Remember that not everything you see in our online store is Candian-made. Those can be identified by the red maple leaf 

Why this matters to a small manufacturer

Our company that has invested years in developing specialized products, establishing a manufacturing process and building a customer base cannot simply move production. The craftsmanship, materials and manufacturing processes that go into a quality croquet mallet or set are not easily replaced.

For a Canadian manufacturer selling into the United States, the new tariff therefore creates a difficult situation. It has not necessarily changed its manufacturing costs. We cannot effectively change our prices. The cost of getting that product to an American customer may have changed dramatically by way of added tariffs.

What can I do now?

1.    You can opt to pay the tariff.  Place your order online and we will send you an e-mail with a convenient online payment method for the added tariffs

2.    Come see us in Brighton, Ontario. All people going home the USA from Canada are allowed  an $800 USD personal exemption. That allows you to take your purchase home, tariff-free. While you’re visiting us, we’d be you can see our full range of equipment and  how they’re made. Then walk away with your purchase.

3.    If friends from Canada are planning to visit you, we can ship your order to them. They, too, are entitled to the same $800 per personal exemption.

4.    Last option is to let us know by e-mail (info@oakleywoods.com) or phone (toll free 866-364-8895) to let us know that you want to make your purchase as soon as the tariffs are resolved. We will contact you once the situation changes.

What happens next?

That is the difficult question. Trade policy has become increasingly unpredictable over the past year. The U.S.–China tariff dispute demonstrated how quickly tariff rates can change, and the latest U.S.–Canada measures demonstrate that even a trading relationship built over nearly four decades can be disrupted.

For now, the 50% U.S. tariff on affected Canadian goods is a reality. For American croquet players, that may mean paying more for Canadian-made equipment. For Canadian manufacturers, it means navigating a new and considerably more uncertain trading environment.

For all of us in the croquet community, it is a reminder that decisions made at the highest levels of government can eventually reach something as simple and enjoyable as a croquet set in someone's backyard. A year ago, we ended our discussion of tariffs by looking at how international trade policy could affect the price of croquet equipment. Unfortunately, we now have a much more direct example.

After nearly 40 years of tariff-free North American trade, Canadian-made croquet equipment is facing a new reality at the U.S. border. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and keep our customers informed as the rules evolve.

In the meantime, one thing has not changed: Oakley Woods croquet equipment continues to be proudly made in Canada, with the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship that has guided us for decades.