Universities of Wisconsin leaders said Thursday that President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports, which are currently paused, could cause a spike in UW project costs, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The two primary projects of concern reportedly include UW–Stout’s $138.9 million Heritage Hall project and UW–Green Bay’s $96.3 million Cofrin Library project. Both go to bid in March, around the time the tariff postponement will expire unless it is extended.
Many of the building materials necessary for these projects — including softwood lumber, aluminum, textiles for carpeting, drywall, and crude oil that goes into finishing for roofs — are imported from Canada and Mexico, so building costs could rapidly increase if Trump follows through with his plans.
Electronic components, such as computers, security systems, and the chips needed to run them, will already be affected with tariffs in effect on China and Taiwan.
Other UW system projects will start their bidding processes later this summer, giving UW more time to plan.
