President Donald Trump on Monday lashed out at Canada, calling it a “tariff abuser” and insisting the United States does not need Canadian energy after Ontario imposed a 25% electricity surcharge on three U.S. states.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced the surcharge on Monday, March 10, stating that it would apply to electricity exports to Michigan, Minnesota, and New York, which rely on Ontario’s power grid to supply 1.5 million homes and businesses.
Reacting to the decision, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, claiming Ontario’s move was unlawful.
“Ontario just announced a 25% surcharge on ‘electricity,’ of all things,” he wrote. “Canada is a Tariff abuser, and always has been, but the United States is not going to be subsidizing Canada any longer.”
Trump went further to dismiss Canada’s trade significance, saying, “We don’t need your Cars, we don’t need your Lumber, we don’t need your Energy, and very soon, you will find that out.”
The latest trade tensions come as Trump prepares to roll out a series of new tariffs, set to take effect on April 2. He reaffirmed this in his post, stating, “Because our Tariffs are reciprocal, we’ll just get it all back on April 2.”
Trump has repeatedly targeted Canada’s trade policies, previously imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports. While some exemptions were granted last week, approximately 62% of Canadian imports remain subject to the levies. Additionally, a new 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum is set to take effect on Wednesday.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford justified the electricity surcharge as a retaliatory measure, saying, “Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent.”
“Pausing some tariffs, making last-minute exemptions — it won’t cut it. We need to end the chaos once and for all. We need to sit down, work together, and land a fair deal,” Ford said in a press conference.
He warned that the surcharge, which is expected to add around $100 per month to residents’ electricity bills in the affected states, could be increased if the U.S. escalates its trade measures.
“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 said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who was the running mate of Democrat Kamala Harris in the November election, criticized Trump’s trade policies, blaming them for rising costs.
“Minnesotans struggling to pay their skyrocketing electric bill” are the “first victims of Trump’s trade war,” Walz wrote on X. “Minnesota cannot afford Trump’s billionaire-run economy. We have to put a stop to this madness.”
As tensions mount, both sides remain firm in their positions, raising concerns about further disruptions to U.S.-Canada trade relations.
