Doug Ford Seeks New Trade Partners to Reduce U.S. Reliance

Ontario Premier Doug Ford hosted a roundtable discussion in Toronto with consular representatives from 16 nations to diversify the province's trading partnerships. The initiative seeks to reduce Ontario's economic over-reliance on the United States, where tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump have triggered job losses in the auto and steel sectors.

Ford announced a strategy involving targeted bilateral engagements and international trade missions to secure new partners in the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific, and the MERCOSUR bloc. To support these efforts, the province plans to develop infrastructure, including seaports and roads to the mineral-rich Ring of Fire region, to facilitate the export of critical minerals.

While non-U.S. exports have grown by 28% since 2024, the United States remains the province's dominant partner, accounting for 72% of Ontario's international exports, which totaled $287 billion in 2024. Prime Minister Mark Carney has supported this shift, articulating a broader federal strategy to move away from reliance on a single trading partner.