‘Senseless, hurtful trade war,’ Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow criticizes Trump’s tariffs on CNN

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow appeared on CNN Monday morning, voicing strong opposition to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff policies.

@nowtoronto Mayor Olivia Chow was on CNN this morning and said Toronto is "really upset" amid the trade war and won't accept bids from the U.S. on city contracts. #Toronto #tradewar #cdnpoli ♬ original sound – Now Toronto

Chow expressed concerns that the tariffs on steel, aluminium, and energy would result in higher costs for American households and break vital economic ties between Canada and the U.S.

“A tariff on steel and aluminium means your housing cost is going to be higher, it’s going to cost more to build housing in America,” Chow warned, while speaking to CNN. “Energy tariffs make gas more expensive. And guess what? Tariffs on produce and grains make food more expensive.”

She argued that the incoming tariffs on all Canadian imports, set to take effect on April 2, would trigger a “senseless, hurtful trade war” between the two long-standing allies. 

“We are friends,” Chow emphasized. “We have an economic partnership that is the envy of the world. We buy about $500 billion worth of U.S. goods every year – that’s more than China, Japan, France, and the U.K. combined. Why would you want to hurt your biggest customers?”

Chow also warned that the City of Toronto would respond by blocking American companies from bidding on municipal contracts, a strategic move that could impact nearly $1 billion worth of deals over the next decade. 

“The City of Toronto, we’re just like really upset. We’re the fourth largest city in North America, and we have a $79 billion budget at City Hall here, and its about the size of Florida, and we’re saying, we will not allow any American companies to bid on our contract anymore,” Chow explained. 

Later on Monday, the mayor, alongside members of the Mayor’s Economic Action Team, announced a new action plan designed to support Toronto’s economy in response to the tariff threats, including several immediate relief measures and long-term strategies to counter the economic impact. 

The Economic Action Plan, part of a city staff report, outlines 10 immediate actions to support businesses and protect workers. 

Key measures include prioritizing Canadian suppliers, deferring property taxes for industrial properties, and launching a “Love Local” campaign to promote Canadian-made products.

With Toronto’s economy accounting for 25 per cent of Ontario’s GDP and generating $123 billion in annual trade with the U.S., the potential fallout creates much uncertainty for local industries. 

Reflecting on Canada’s values in the CNN interview, Chow described her city as a “global beacon of hope,” noting Toronto’s diverse population and its commitment to empathy and cooperation. 

“We have universal health care, we have good education, and we have the most educated workforce in the world,” she said. “We prefer to build each other up rather than divide… We’re very resilient, we’re very united, and we are strong.”