The White House says 25% tariffs on Canada are moving forward, but negotiations could shift the plan
The White House has confirmed that US President Donald Trump's plan to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian trade products is still scheduled for March 4, as reported by BNN Bloomberg.
However, a White House official told CTV News in an email that the timeline could change, stating, “pending ongoing negotiations.”
Earlier this month, Canada secured a 30-day pause on these tariffs after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke directly with Trump over two phone calls.
Trudeau pitched Canada's plan to address border security and combat the fentanyl crisis in an effort to prevent the economic consequences of the tariffs.
Trump has also announced additional tariffs, including new levies on steel and aluminum set for March 12 and what he referred to as “the big one”—reciprocal tariffs—in early April.
According to Reuters, he told reporters on Wednesday that the 25 percent tariffs would take effect on Canada and Mexico on April 2, but his statement appeared to confuse the timeline of his proposal.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, however, indicated that the original March 4 date remains in place, describing the tariffs as “fentanyl-related.”
He stated that Canada must prove to Trump by the end of the 30-day period that it has met his conditions. “If they have, then he'll give them a pause. Or, he won't,” Lutnick said.
Trump interjected, saying, “It's going to be hard to satisfy,” before linking the tariffs to fentanyl-related deaths in the US and claiming, “A lot of it comes through Canada.”
Data from US Customs and Border Protection shows that over the past 12 months, US border agents seized approximately 49 pounds of fentanyl at the Canada-US border.
In comparison, about 19,500 pounds were seized at the US-Mexico border.
During his remarks on Wednesday, Trump also misstated the size of the US trade deficit with Canada, a figure he has repeatedly called “a subsidy.” He again suggested, “Canada should become the 51st state.”
CTV News has reached out to the Prime Minister's Office for an update on negotiations but has not yet received a response.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne stated that the federal government is closely monitoring developments.
“One thing that we've learned is to take it step by step, to listen to what the (US) President says very carefully, but at the same time, the only way you can operate like that is to make sure that you act on the basis of signed executive orders,” Champagne told reporters on Wednesday.
Trump has twice announced that 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports would be imposed, first on January 20 and again on February 1, but both times he ultimately delayed their implementation.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly told CTV News earlier this week that Trump alone is responsible for tariff decisions.
She reiterated that the Canadian government is prepared to retaliate with its $155bn tariff plan if Trump proceeds with the March 4 implementation.
Former Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz stated that if the tariffs take effect, Canada's economy would effectively experience a permanent five percent “pay cut.”
The White House official also confirmed that reciprocal tariffs, which impose taxes on imports from countries that tax American imports of the same or similar products, remain scheduled to move forward in April.
In response to the proposed US tariffs, Canada announced on February 1 that it would impose 25 percent tariffs on $155bn worth of US goods.
According to the country’s website, this move aims to counteract what Canada considers unjustified and unreasonable tariffs imposed by the United States.
The Canadian government has also outlined a comprehensive plan to address the fentanyl issue, emphasizing that less than one percent of fentanyl and illegal crossings into the United States originate from Canada.
As the March 4 deadline approaches, both nations continue negotiations to resolve the trade dispute and avoid the economic repercussions of the proposed tariffs.
