Ontario to launch new volley of U.S. ads targeting tariffs

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to members of the media at the Queen's Park Legislature in Toronto on Monday March 10, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will be buying more ads south of the border to let Americans know about the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs on their lives.

“I call them information ads. We need to inform the American people,” Ford told reporters at a news conference Monday. “If they just hear one side of the story and they aren’t hearing the other side, their opinions might change. But we want to make sure we send clear message down to the American people. They’re our greatest allies in this fight against these tariffs.”

The province previously launched a round of ads in the U.S. in December, highlighting the benefits of the Canada-U.S relationship, particularly around trade.

Those ads pointed out that Ontario is the third-largest trading partner for the U.S. and the number one export destination for 17 states.

Premier Ford has also made numerous appearances on U.S. television networks to talk about the negative impact that the tariffs will have on both sides of the border.

Ford did not provide a dollar figure for the new ad campaign Monday, but said it will be money well-spent.

“So we’ll get a cost, we’ll be transparent,” Ford said. “But it will be the best money we’ve ever spent, because if we don’t spend it, it will cost us tens of billions of dollars to our economy.”

Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods on March 4, only to announce within 24 hours that some of those tariffs would be delayed by a month.

Ford has said that Ontario’s retaliatory tariffs will remain in place until the tariff threat is lifted for good. Those measures include pulling U.S.-made alcohol from LCBO shelves, ripping up a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink internet service, and banning U.S. companies from Ontario procurement processes.

On Monday the province imposed a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to the U.S. The move is expected to bring in $300,000 to $400,000 per day, while costing some U.S. energy customers around CAD $100 more per month.

Ford said he is willing to increase the surcharge or even cut off electricity exports to the U.S. completely in response to the tariffs.

-With files from Phil Tsekouras