Doug Ford threatens to stop nickel shipments to U.S. on eve of trade war

Ontario Premier Doug Ford turns to government ministers after speaking at the Prospectors, Developers, Association of Canada conference, in Toronto, on Monday March 3, 2025.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Premier Doug Ford is threatening to stop the shipment of nickel to the United States in response to 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods that are set to take effect tomorrow.

Ford made the comment during an interview with NBC News NOW on Monday afternoon. The interview came after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a news conference that the tariffs would take effect on March 4.

“We will respond strongly and we don’t want to,” Ford said. “On the critical minerals I will stop shipments going into the U.S. for nickel. I will shut down manufacturing because 50 per cent of the nickel you use is coming from Ontario.”

Ford told NBC that the tariffs would be an “absolute disaster” for both countries and create “massive problems.”

This is a breaking news story. Earlier story follows.

Premier Doug Ford says that his government will consider introducing legislation that would require retailers to place signage on shelves indicating whether a product is Canadian made amid a potential trade war with the United States.

Ford made the comment to reporters during a press conference on Monday as he discussed actions Ontario is prepared to take should President Donald Trump follow through on his threats of placing a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian and Mexican good as soon as tomorrow.

Ford’s comments were made prior to a press conference in which Trump told reporters that the tariffs would go ahead on Tuesday and that there was no longer room for negotiation.

“I am asking politely before I implement it. Every retail store when you go look at the shelf talker and it has the price we need to see a Canadian flag on that price. Please work with us or we are going to legislate it,” Ford said.

Ford said that he is planning to take a number of previously announced actions should tariffs be placed on Canadian goods tomorrow, including removing U.S. alcohol from LCBO shelves and ripping up a $100 million deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink for satellite internet service in Northern Ontario - on Monday he acknowledged that “won’t make a difference” for the world’s richest individual but he said it is about “principle.”

Ford said that he will also ensure that U.S. companies do not benefit from the roughly $30 billion in goods and services that Ontario procures annually.

“That $30 billion doesn’t even include the municipalities and I know all 444 municipalities are on board but we are going to make sure that we legislate that you are buying Ontario first and Canada second,” Ford said. “I get it. There are some products you just can’t get (domestically). But I will tell you one thing; If we start shifting it (procurement) they (the U.S.) are going to feel the pain. If they want to go after our families, take food off our tables and try to close our companies….well we are going to fight like (we’ve) never fought before to protect Canada and to protect the people of Ontario and their businesses, communities and jobs.”

If Trump does follow through on his tariff threats, the federal government has indicated that it will immediately put into place retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion of U.S. goods and then more tariffs on another $125 billion in U.S. goods three weeks later.

Speaking with reporters on Monday, Ford said that he supports “dollar for dollar” tariffs on U.S. goods should tariffs materialize and will stand behind the federal government in its response.

“I didn’t start a tariff war but we are going to win this tariff war,” Ford said.

Ford has previously warned that a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian goods at the Canada-U.S. border could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs in Ontario.