Canada has announced $21 billion in new tariffs on imports of U.S. computers and sports gear amid ongoing trade war.
The latest move comes hours after President Donald Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum went into effect.
Dominic LeBlanc, the Canadian Finance Minister, said on Wednesday that the list of products impacted by the new tariffs includes computers, sports equipment, and cast iron products.
LeBlanc said: ‘Today, I am announcing that the government of Canada, following a dollar-for-dollar approach, will be imposing, as of 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, March 13, 2025, 25 percent reciprocal tariffs on an additional C$29.8 billion ($20.7 billion) of imports from the United States.’
He added: ‘This includes steel products worth C$12.6 billion and aluminum products worth C$3 billion as well as additional imported U.S. goods worth C$14.2 billion.’
This comes after Trump on Tuesday vowed that Canada would pay a historically big ‘financial price’ for the electricity tariff it was imposing on parts of the U.S.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford reversed course and said he would cancel the 25 percent tariff on Canadian electricity supplied to the northern states of Michigan, New York, and Minnesota.
Trump agreed after Canada backed down, not to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 50 percent, meaning they will stay at 25 percent.
Canada’s electricity tariffs implemented on Monday marked an escalation in the trade war and came in response to earlier tariffs from Trump.
The Premier said he spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about the situation and they agreed to meet Thursday to discuss reciprocal tariffs that Trump wants to put in place on April 2.
‘Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 percent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York, and Minnesota,’ Ford said.
Amid the intensifying trade war, the president reiterated his call for the U.S. to bring Canada into the fold.
‘Canada should honestly become our 51st state. we wouldn’t have a northern border problem. We wouldn’t have a tariff problem,’ Trump said.
‘Canada would be great as our cherished 51st state. You wouldn’t have border problems. You wouldn’t have anything.’
Earlier Tuesday, Trump declared a national emergency on electricity in the United States and doubled the tariffs on aluminum and steel from Canada after Ford enacted his electricity tariff.
