Residents in New York, Minnesota, and Michigan could be seeing around $69 added to their monthly bills after Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that he would be moving forward with a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to the three states.
A retaliatory move in response to President Donald Trump’s steep tariffs, most of which have since been delayed amid a shaken stock market, Ford said he would be imposing the 25 percent surcharge during a press conference Monday and warned that he would even turn off access to electricity if the Trump administration adds more tariffs.
“If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely,” Ford told reporters. “Believe me when I say I do not want to do this, I feel terrible for the American people, because it’s not the American people who started this trade war. It’s one person who’s responsible. That’s President Trump.”
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The 25 percent surcharge “will cost families and businesses” in New York, Minnesota, and Michigan according to Ford. A press statement further clarified that the surcharge will go into effect March 10 and add as much as $277,000 (400,000 Canadian dollars) in daily costs for 1.5 million U.S. homes and businesses. Ford estimated that these costs would add around “[CA$100] per month to the bills of hardworking Americans,” or $69 to each American affected.
Ford also threatened to raise the 25 percent surcharge if Trump’s tariffs escalate, as the prospect of a trade war gets glaringly more possible each week.
The president said Sunday he would increase the 25 percent tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico if they don’t follow through on their promises to reduce the quantity of fentanyl crossing over the border. He additionally said on Friday that he would impose tariffs on Canada’s dairy and lumber exports.
According to CNN, Ford said last week he would shut off electricity to the U.S. “with a smile on [his] face” if Trump continued to taunt the country with tariffs.
