Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pausing a 25 per cent surcharge on U.S. electricity after the White House commerce department extended an “olive branch” to discuss a trade agreement, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced 50 per cent tariffs on aluminum and steel.
Ford made the announcement at Queen’s Park on Tuesday afternoon, two days after announcing the surcharge that would impact 1.5 million homes in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. In response, Trump announced Tuesday morning that he will impose 50 per cent tariffs on aluminum and steel beginning Wednesday, but has since changed it back to the original 25 per cent levy.
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According to a joint statement from Ford and U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, a meeting between the two will be held on Thursday.
“The temperature needs to come down,” Ford said in a press conference Tuesday afternoon. “We have both agreed that cooler heads will prevail.”
Ford will make the trip alongside Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs of Canada Dominic LeBlanc to discuss a renewed United States-Mexico-Canada Free Trade agreement ahead of the April 2 reprieve deadline for 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports set by Trump.
“This doesn’t benefit anyone, whether it’s the auto sector or any other sector,” Ford said, when speaking about the incoming tariffs on aluminum and steel.
“Assembly lines will shut down in the U.S. and Canada, the stock market is tumbling… it’s absolute chaos out there right now.”
Ford’s announcement has garnered mixed reaction on social media, with some users applauding Ford for the move, while others express dissatisfaction.
“We look weak, this is embarrassing,” an X user wrote.
“So much for ‘not backing down,’” another user wrote.
While someone else added, “great news… we can both be prosperous together.”
As for whether or not the White House would be willing to suspend its incoming tariffs on steel and aluminum, Ford said Lutnick would have to “bounce it off the president”
“But I’m pretty confident he will pull back,” Ford said.
Leblanc has told Ford in a phone call that if the Trump administration moves forward with the levies, Canada will respond “dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff,” according to Ford.
Ford says he is also set to meet with Prime Minister-delegate Mark Carney on Wednesday.
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