Canada’s premiers are meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney in Muskoka today as concerns mount over an escalating trade standoff with the United States and the future of major national infrastructure projects.
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an August 1 deadline, threatening to impose 35 per cent tariffs on key Canadian exports unless a new trade agreement is reached. Carney, who took office earlier this year, has acknowledged that some level of tariffs is likely unavoidable, but says negotiations are intensifying behind closed doors to minimize economic fallout. Premiers are pressing Carney for clarity and relief measures, particularly for resource-dependent and manufacturing-heavy provinces.
In addition to trade talks, infrastructure remains a central theme. The premiers are calling for stronger partnerships with Indigenous communities on large-scale projects, including the controversial Ring of Fire mineral development in Northern Ontario. While the premiers met earlier this week with leaders from the Assembly of First Nations, the Métis National Council, and the Native Women’s Association of Canada, First Nations leaders were notably excluded from the high-level session with Carney, sparking renewed criticism over a lack of meaningful consultation.
Despite those concerns, the premiers have agreed to hold future joint sessions with Indigenous leaders and pledged greater collaboration moving forward.
Meanwhile, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced two new Memorandums of Understanding with British Columbia and Canada’s territories aimed at boosting internal trade and labour mobility. The agreements are designed to reduce interprovincial red tape and make it easier for businesses and workers to operate across provincial borders. Ford emphasized the need to strengthen Canada’s internal economy amid rising global uncertainty, noting that Ontario now leads the country in interprovincial trade agreements.
The multi-day meeting at Deerhurst Resort has become a key moment for Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders as they look to unite on major economic strategies while navigating growing external pressures.