Ontario Premier Doug Ford isn’t tossing his electricity surcharge card just yet—but he’s not itching to slap it back on the table either. Speaking Tuesday, Ford hinted he’s holding the 25% levy on U.S.-bound power as a quiet threat, though he’s keen to keep the peace with American negotiators after a “productive” sit-down with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick last week.
“We’re not here to antagonize,” Ford said, reflecting on the Thursday huddle in Washington alongside federal heavyweights Dominic LeBlanc and François-Philippe Champagne. “Lutnick laughed off the ‘51st state’ chatter—called it nonsense. They want Canada strong, but only after they’ve stacked their own deck.” The meeting came on the heels of Ford’s swift suspension of the surcharge, a move he made last Tuesday—barely a day after imposing it—when Trump fired back with a vow to jack up steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%.
Ford’s keeping his options open as April 2 looms, the date Trump’s promised a fresh tariff wave. “The surcharge? Always on the table,” he admitted. “But I’m not about to spark another war when we’re this close to exemptions.” U.S. officials, he added, are eyeing sector-specific hits—lumber, steel, aluminum, tech—while Canada’s angling to be first in line for a pass. Cross-border talks rolled on Monday night, with more slated next week.
For now, Ford’s walking a tightrope: flexing Ontario’s leverage without tipping the scales into chaos. With 1.5 million American homes in Michigan, New York, and Minnesota tied to Ontario’s grid, the stakes—and the power play—are sky-high.