Alberta will do everything in its power to convince U.S. President Donald Trump and congress to reverse "mutually destructive" tariffs, said Premier Danielle Smith in a statement released Saturday.
Trump has imposed a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods entering the U.S., including aluminum, steel and copper — taking effect in the coming days. The tariff on oil and gas is 10%. Mexico and China are also affected by tariffs.
Smith said Trump's decision will harm Canadians and Americans, and compromise the longstanding alliance between America and Canada.
"We note the reduced 10% tariff for Canadian energy, which is partially a recognition of the advocacy undertaken by our government and industry to the U.S. administration pointing out the substantial wealth created in the U.S. by American companies and tens of thousands of American workers that upgrade and refine approximately $100 billion of Canadian crude into $300 billion of product sold all over the world by those same U.S. companies." wrote Smith On X.
"It is also worth noting that if oil and gas exports are excluded, the United States actually sells more to Canada than Canada sells to the U.S. As I’ve stated to every American policymaker I’ve met with these past months, Canada buys more from the U.S. than any country on earth - more than U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Vietnam combined."
Analysts say Trump's tariffs will force Canada into a recession. The federal government is already planning a financial bailout for affected workers and businesses.
In 2023, Alberta contributed around 87.4% of Canada's total crude oil exports to the U.S., with the country receiving about 97% of Canada's overall crude oil exports.
The total volume of Canadian crude oil exported to the U.S. reached a record high, averaging around 4.3 million barrels per day in mid-2024, largely driven by increased production and infrastructure expansions like the Trans Mountain pipeline.
This translates to an annual export volume of roughly 1.57 billion barrels, with Alberta's share being the vast majority due to its production capacity.
Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi also released a statement on the tariffs, saying the policy will devastate the Canadian economy and harm Canada's most important trade relationship.
“These tariffs will have a devastating impact on our jobs, our economy, and our way of life," he said.
“So where is our premier? Make no mistake, Danielle Smith’s Washington D.C. selfie tour and balls-and-parties charm offensive has failed every Albertan and every Canadian."
Smith said there is no economic justification for the tariffs. Trump has accused Canada of exploiting the U.S. through an alleged trade deficit. Trump's main issue with Canada is a lack of border security — the alleged flow of drugs and migrants into the U.S.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said everything is on the table when it comes to tariff retaliation — possibly even Alberta oil and gas. Smith is opposed.
"Alberta will, however, continue to strenuously oppose any effort to ban exports to the U.S. or to tax our own people and businesses on goods leaving Canada for the United States," said Smith, who again called for the establishment of a "border czar" to manage security.
"Canada can and must now come together in an unprecedented effort to preserve the livelihoods and futures of our people and expand our political and trade relationships across the globe," said Smith.
She added, "We can no longer afford to be so heavily reliant on one primary customer. We must stop limiting our prosperity and inflicting economic wounds on ourselves. Alberta calls on the federal government and our fellow provinces to immediately commence a national effort to fast track and build oil and gas pipelines to the east and west coasts."
