Ontario Premier Doug Ford welcomed Utah Governor Spencer Cox to Queen’s Park today for a meeting that underscored the growing importance of regional trade ties between Canadian provinces and U.S. states. The visit, part of a broader trade mission that also includes Quebec, comes at a time when national-level trade tensions are rising—making what Governor Cox called “subnational diplomacy” more crucial than ever.
Cox, a Republican, emphasized the deep economic and cultural connections between Canada and the United States, urging more American governors to follow his lead and establish direct trade relationships with Canadian counterparts. While this mission was planned last year, Cox acknowledged that recent developments around tariffs and trade barriers have added urgency and significance to the visit.
Expressing his support for free trade, Cox said it’s important to push back against rising protectionist policies and ensure that Americans continue to understand and value the longstanding partnership between the two countries.
Following the meeting, Premier Ford described his discussions with Governor Cox as highly productive, noting that both regions share key economic interests, particularly in mining and technology. Ford expressed interest in formalizing this collaboration through a memorandum of understanding that could deepen economic ties and innovation exchanges between Ontario and Utah.
As part of the trip, Cox is also touring Ontario’s Darlington Nuclear Generating Station this week. Utah has shown strong interest in Ontario Power Generation’s small modular reactor (SMR) projects, which could represent the next frontier in clean, scalable energy solutions—a sector both regions are actively exploring.
The meeting marks another step in Ontario’s ongoing efforts to build stronger international partnerships at the state and provincial level, especially as global trade dynamics become more unpredictable.