Canada threatens to shut off US power supply as trade war escalates
Millions of American homes could lose access to Canadian electricity if Donald Trump doesn't back down, according to Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
The blunt warning comes as a trade war between the US and Canada spirals following Trump's announcement of new tariffs targeting Canada's auto industry, according to the Daily Mail.
Speaking in a radio interview on Monday, August 24, Ford didn't hold back on his feelings toward the president, branding him 'arrogant' and 'cocky', and telling him to 'kiss my a**'.
Ford said Ontario supplies electricity to 1.5 million homes and businesses in the US, and that the option to switch off that supply is firmly on the table if Trump keeps 'squeezing' Canadian manufacturing.
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'Everything's on the table. I'll do whatever it takes,' he said, adding that Trump 'better have a pack of batteries' if the lights go out.
How much power does Canada supply to the US?
Canada provided around 5 percent of New England's electricity in 2024, though that figure has climbed as high as 15 percent during peak winter demand.
It's a relatively modest slice of the overall supply, but one Ford is signaling he's willing to pull regardless of the disruption it could cause.
Electricity isn't the only leverage Ford is threatening to use. He also raised the prospect of cutting off critical mineral exports to the US, telling reporters, 'I'll cut them off. You won't get a grain of sand out of Ontario.'
The clash escalated after Trump confirmed tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts and steel will jump to 50 percent starting January 1.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump accused Canada of 'ripping off the United States of America for years' and warned the country would be 'treated like a state no longer'.
He also claimed Canada had imposed 'ridiculously high tariffs' on American farmers, making life 'impossible' for them, and insisted the US doesn't need Canada, 'they need us'.
Why did US-Canada trade talks collapse?
The latest flashpoint follows the breakdown of a month of trade negotiations between Washington and Ottawa last week.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reportedly walked away from talks after the US pushed for concessions that Carney said would restrict Canada's ability to strike trade deals with other countries, calling the demand 'a question of sovereignty'.
He vowed Canada would 'match those tariffs dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses', with retaliatory measures targeting US steel, dairy, agricultural equipment and other goods due to begin September 8.
Over the weekend, the US had already imposed 50 percent tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, including agricultural supplies, dairy, alcohol, clothing and electronics.
Ford, a center-right conservative, went as far as invoking Ronald Reagan in his response, claiming the late president would be 'disgusted' with Trump's approach.
'He'd be throwing up... spinning around in his grave right now,' Ford said, suggesting Trump should 'take that picture off the wall'.
Despite the escalating rhetoric, Ford insisted he isn't ready to abandon diplomacy altogether. 'I never believe in walking away from the table. Continue negotiating and see where we go,' he said.
Topics: Canada, US News, Politics, Donald Trump
Mia Williams