BREAKING
President Donald Trump says increased tariffs come in response to Ontario’s surcharge on electricity exports to the US.
US President Donald Trump has announced that he will double planned tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to 50 percent, escalating a trade war with the United States’ northern neighbor.
In a social media post on Tuesday morning, Trump stated that the increased tariffs are a direct response to the province of Ontario’s decision to impose a 25-percent surcharge on electricity exports to some US states. He added that the new steel and aluminum tariffs will take effect on Wednesday.
“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty-First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
US-Canada relations have deteriorated sharply as Trump pushes to impose steep tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, which he claims is an effort to balance the trade relationship between the two countries.
The Canadian government has denounced the tariffs as “unjustified” and has introduced retaliatory measures.
On Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that his government would implement a 25-percent surcharge on electricity exports to the US states of Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. Ford—who has taken a strong stance against Trump’s economic policies—told reporters that Ontario’s electricity powers 1.5 million American homes and businesses in those states.
Ford said the surcharge would cost families and businesses up to $276,000 ($400,000 Canadian) per day.
“Let me be clear, I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If necessary, if the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely,” Ford warned.
More to come…
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