Ford pauses retaliatory measures to U.S. tariffs after Trump delays them by 30 days

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pausing all retaliatory measures in response to U.S. tariffs after  President Donald Trump chose to delay imposing them on all Canadian imports for 30 days. 

That pause includes Ford's promise to rip up Ontario's nearly $100 million contract with Elon Musk's Starlink, a spokesperson confirmed. 

On Sunday, Ford ordered the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to strip its shelves of American products in response to the tariffs, which were supposed to start Tuesday. 

"If President Trump proceeds with tariffs, we won't hesitate to remove American products off LCBO shelves or ban American companies from provincial procurement," Ford said in a statement late Monday afternoon. 

Earlier in the day, Ontario PCs had announced a suite of measures to help Ontarians impacted by the tariffs, including a six-month deferral of provincial taxes for Ontario businesses, amounting to roughly $10 billion in cash-flow support.

They had also promised that Ontario would not allow U.S companies to bid on provincial contracts until the tariffs were lifted. 

Hours before the tariffs were set to begin, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday Trump will hold off on levying tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days after Canada made a series of commitments to improve security along the border.

Before the tariffs were temporarily paused, Ford said Musk is "part of the Trump team that wants to destroy families, incomes, destroy businesses," at a news conference in Etobicoke on Monday. 

"He wants to take food off the table of people, hard working people, and I'm not going to tolerate it."

Musk, an adviser to Trump, is overseeing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in co-operation with the president's administration.

Musk responded to Ford's announcement on X, formerly Twitter, a platform that he owns, before Ford reversed his decision to rip up the Starlink deal. 

"Oh well," he wrote. 

The Starlink contract, signed in November, is meant to provide high-speed internet access through the company's satellite service to 15,000 eligible homes and businesses in rural, remote and northern communities by June of this year.

Earlier in the day, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and NDP Leader Marit Stiles all said the province's contract with Starlink was a bad deal from day one.

Ford defended when it was signed last year, saying there was a transparent bidding process and it was part of the government's plan to get everyone in the province high-speed internet.

Party leaders outline plans to fight threatened tariffs 

On the campaign trail Monday, the NDP, Liberals and Green Party also touted their strategies for helping Ontario weather the economic storm the tariffs are expected to create. 

WATCH | Ontario's political parties release strategies to cope with U.S. tariffs: 

Ontario party leaders unveil strategies as U.S. tariff threats loom

5 hours ago

Duration 5:13

While President Donald Trump’s tariff threats have been delayed for at least 30 days, some major party leaders in Ontario have already been strategizing on how they would address the tariffs. CBC’s Shawn Jeffords has the latest details.

In Oshawa, Stiles said a New Democrat plan would provide direct support to the auto industry, "creating new supply chains, and finding new export markets for their goods in Canada and abroad."

Stiles said an NDP government would "play on Team Canada," including a joint income-protection scheme with Ottawa, and "defend each and every single job in this province."

Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie's pitched a "Fight Tariffs Fund" that would give Ontario businesses access to lower interest rates and a promise to scrap "nonsensical" provincial trade barriers.

She also said she'd ensure American companies like Amazon and Starlink are excluded from provincial contracts.

Green Leader Mike Schreiner focused on the housing crisis at an event in Kitchener, saying a protracted trade war with the U.S. will deepen the problem.

In previous statement, the Green Party says it would establish a Buy Ontario strategy and a dedicated fund for businesses hardest hit by tariffs, while working with other provinces to remove interprovincial trade barriers.