The Canadian border province of Ontario is set to hit its American customers with 25% higher electricity prices.
The province’s premier, Doug Ford, announced the decision Monday in retaliation for US President on Canadian goods.
“We will apply maximum pressure to maximize our leverage,” he said in a press conference. “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.”
He estimated this would cost each American affected an extra $100 Canadian dollars ($69 or €64) on average per month.
“Believe me when I say I do not want this. I feel terrible for the American people who didn’t start this . It’s one person who is responsible, it’s President Trump,” Ford said.
How many Americans will be affected by the surcharge?
Despite the Trump administration’s announcement of a one-month pause on the proposed tariffs, Ford has initiated the surcharges anyway.
“Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario will not relent … I will do whatever it takes to maximize the pain against Americans,” he said.
Ontario provides electricity to three US states — Michigan, Minnesota, and New York. The 25% surcharge will affect roughly 1.5 million households.
About 85% of the electricity the United States imports comes from Canada.
Ford also called on the province of Alberta to levy taxes on oil exports to the US. The province sends 4.3 million barrels across the border each day.
The majority of the US’s steel, aluminum and uranium imports are also supplied by Canada. Approximately $2.7 billion in goods crosses the border between the two countries each day.
Edited by: Natalie Muller
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