Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he was temporarily suspending the province’s 25% surcharge on electricity imported to multiple U.S. states.
The province exports electricity to Michigan, Minnesota and New York.
Ford and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick released a joint statement after trade talks.
“Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States and Canada,” the statement read.
“Secretary Lutnick agreed to officially meet with Premier Ford in Washington on Thursday, March 13 alongside the United States Trade Representative to discuss a renewed USMCA ahead of the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline. In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 per cent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota,” it added.
The statement follows President Trump announcing additional tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Canada in response to the electricity surcharge.
Per CNBC:
Trump announced those heightened tariffs on the heels of Ford saying he would impose the surcharge on electricity imports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.
Ford on Tuesday said Lutnick agreed to meet with him and the U.S. trade representative in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to discuss a renewed United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
Trump has said he will impose tariffs of 25% on goods imported from Canada beginning April 2.
But at the White House on Tuesday afternoon, Trump said he would “probably” lower tariffs on Canada.
“I’ll let you know” if the 50% tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports are going into effect, he said.
Fox Business reports:
Ford imposed 25% tariffs on electricity exports from the Canadian province to the U.S. states of Michigan, New York and Minnesota on Monday.
Speaking to reporters in front of a podium that read "Canada is not for sale," Ford said the surcharge would cost families and businesses in those states up to $400,000 every day. On average, Ontario's premier said it would add about $100 per month to "the bills of hardworking Americans."
"Let me be clear: I will not hesitate to increase this charge," Ford said at the time of the announcement. "If necessary, if the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely. Believe me when I say I do not want to do this. I feel terrible for the American people because it's not the American people who started this trade war. It's one person who's responsible. That's President Trump."
ADVERTISEMENTIn a follow-up post later on Tuesday, Trump asked, "Why would our Country allow another Country to supply us with electricity, even for a small area?""Who made these decisions, and why," Trump added. "And can you imagine Canada stooping so low as to use ELECTRICITY, that so affects the life of innocent people, as a bargaining chip and threat? They will pay a financial price for this so big that it will be read about in History Books for many years to come!"
