Ontario Premier Doug Ford is proposing a Canada–U.S. critical minerals alliance to deter the incoming U.S. administration’s tariff threat by strengthening cross-border supply chains.
Ford called for creating the critical minerals supply chain alliance with the United States during a Jan. 13 press conference in Toronto. This is part of the broader “Fortress Am-Can” partnership the premier has proposed in response to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian goods unless Ottawa does more to boost border security.
“We’re just one week away—seven days—from a new administration in the White House and the real threat of a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods entering the United States. This is not something we’re taking lightly,” Ford said.
Ford’s proposed critical minerals development strategy focuses on accelerating federal and provincial regulatory approval timelines for key projects, prioritizing those that reduce reliance on Chinese supply. The strategy also calls for designating strategic regions, such as Ontario’s Ring of Fire—a mineral-rich area about 500 kilometres north east of Thunder Bay—as priority zones for expedited approvals.
Last December, China imposed export bans on “dual-use” critical minerals to the United States, such as antimony, gallium, germanium, and “superhard” materials. While the Chinese regime cited the need to “safeguard national security and interests,” the move is widely seen as retaliation against the United States for restricting its access to advanced semiconductor technologies. On Jan. 2, the Chinese Ministry further proposed tightening export restrictions on technology used for batteries and processing critical minerals.
While China maintains global dominance in the supply of various critical minerals, Ford said Ontario’s mineral deposits could help fill the supply gap for the United States—a position also echoed by provincial Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford.
Related Stories
“Ontario is uniquely poised to meet the opportunity of Am-Can, particularly when it comes to mineral production,” Rickford said during the Jan. 13 press conference. He noted that while China processes 95 percent of rare earth elements and 65 percent of critical minerals, its practices are “suspect,” especially when compared to Ontario’s labour and environmental standards.
Debating Retaliation
Ford had previously suggested cutting oil and gas supplies to the United States in response to Trump’s tariff threat—an option Ford said he remains open to, reiterating on Monday that Canada should “use all the tools possible” to address economic threats. In 2023, Ontario powered 1.5 million homes in the United States and remains a major exporter of electricity to several other states.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said recently that the federal government hasn’t ruled out cutting energy exports to the United States as part of the response to the tariffs.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has been critical of the proposal, saying on Jan. 13, “Oil and gas is owned by the provinces, principally Alberta, and we won’t stand for that.” Smith, who met with Trump over the weekend, says she wants to avoid the tariffs by emphasizing to the United States the importance of its partnership with Canada.
“We think we can be the solution to not only American energy affordability but also American energy dominance. … That’s the deal that I want to make with the United States,” Smith said, adding that the details and impacts of Trump’s tariff would be revealed after his inauguration. “
In response to Smith’s comment, Ford noted that both premiers speak only for their own provinces, while adding that he believes “in negotiating through strength, not weakness.”
On Jan. 13, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh called for blocking critical mineral exports to the United States in response to Trump’s tariff threat. “If Trump attacks Canadian workers and jobs with tariffs, let’s fight for them by cutting off the flow of critical minerals to the U.S.,” he wrote on social media.
