Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province plans on moving ahead with a tax on electricity sent to several U.S. states starting early next week.
Ford said the 25 per cent tax will be announced on Monday, with it likely being enacted on Tuesday.
“We are moving forward with it. I feel terrible for the American people because it’s not the American people, and it’s not even the elected officials, it’s one person and that’s President (Donald) Trump.” Ford told 640Toronto radio host Ben Mulroney on Thursday.
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“It’s totally unacceptable, but he’s coming after his closest friends, closest allies in the world and it’s going to absolutely devastate both economies.”
On Tuesday, the U.S. president followed through on his promise and slapped 25 per cent tariffs on the vast majority of Canadian imports, sparking a trade war between the two neighbouring countries.
In response to the U.S. tariffs, Canada imposed an immediate 25 per cent tariff on $30-billion worth of U.S. goods, with additional tariffs on another $125 billion in American goods to follow three weeks later.
After announcing his own measures, Ford said he would soon impose a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity that the province sends to 1.5 million Americans in several states.
He also threatened to cut off power altogether if U.S. tariffs remain in place into April, when Trump said he would introduce reciprocal tariffs.
“He definitely underestimated the resolve of the Canadian people. The strength, the resilience … everyone hates this uncertainty,” Ford told Mulroney.
“This is an unnecessary trade war that President Trump has created.”
More to come.
