Ontario suspending U.S. electricity surcharge after White House ‘olive branch’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government is suspending its 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states after securing a meeting in Washington with the commerce secretary.

A day filled with escalation between Ford and U.S. President Donald Trump crescendoed toward Ford’s announcement that the surcharge he introduced on Monday would be suspended after an “olive branch” from the White House.

Ford and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick released a joint statement on Tuesday afternoon saying Ford, and federal Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, had been invited to the White House.

The invitation will see Ford travel to Washington, D.C., on Thursday to meet with Trump’s commerce team. The premier said he wasn’t sure if he’d meet the president himself.

While Ontario removed its 25 per cent surcharge on energy sold to the U.S. barely 24 hours after it was introduced, the U.S. has not said whether it would go ahead with the 50 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imposed in response.