The associations want to see municipal governments adopt standardized road-building specifications and procurement practices to reduce costs and increase efficiencies.

The tariffs will likely drive up costs for American companies that use the metals, such as automakers, construction firms and beverage makers that use cans.

All countries, including Canada, were hit Wednesday with 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the United States — part of Trump's attempts to realign global trade.

The agreement sees the city adopt a series of measures to spur the construction of 128 new homes in three years and nearly 1,200 in the next 10.

Tuesday's escalation and retreat in the ongoing trade war between the United States and Canada only compounded a rising sense of uncertainty.