What’s Happening at Ridgewood Industries?

Ridgewood Industries, a longtime Cornwall-based furniture manufacturer, will permanently close its doors this September, ending operations after 55 years and cutting 300 jobs.

• Parent company Dorel Industries cited a strategic shift as the reason behind the closure, calling it “the only feasible course of action to return to profitability.”
• The decision is seen as an early warning of deeper economic fallout tied to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

In an interview with CBC News, Cornwall Mayor Justin Towndale said Dorel’s CEO made it clear:

“The U.S. economy as a whole is responsible for that closure.”

Community Fallout

• Towndal described the layoff as “significant” and “generational”, with entire families having worked at Ridgewood over decades.
• Angela Bero, general manager of the Cornwall and Area Chamber of Commerce, called the news “heartbreaking,” adding:

“I hope we don’t see this continuing with multiple closures… it’s just hard times right now.”

Trade Tensions and Local Risk

Cornwall’s economic vulnerability is heightened by its status as a border city, with one in three businesses relying on cross-border trade.

• U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened a 35% tariff on all Canadiadn goods starting Aug. 1, after initially proposing and walking back a 25% tariff earlier this year.
• Though the city had so far been spared, Towndale now says impacts are emerging:

In response, Cornwall is:

• Rewriting procurement policies to...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMif0FVX3lxTE9LZ3FZNFN4U3g2SnpWRncwYU1E...