TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford said Monday he will speak with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith later in the day to discuss using energy resources as leverage against U.S. tariffs, while announcing an expansion of Ontario’s $1 billion Protect Ontario Financing Program and firing back at personal attacks from U.S. President Donald Trump.Speaking in Hamilton, Ford confirmed a call with Smith around 4 p.m. to “get her opinion on what we need to do to protect Canadian workers.” He repeatedly stated that “everything is on the table,” including electricity exports, critical minerals, potash, uranium and other energy supplies that could put pressure on the United States. Ford stressed that any such moves require a united Team Canada approach involving all premiers. “I can’t do this alone,” Ford said. “I need every premier playing on Team Canada.” He added that if Trump wants to put pain on Canadians, “we’ll leverage every bit of pain we possibly can on Americans,” targeting deep red states to make sure the U.S. economy feels the impact..The announcement came as Ford expanded eligibility for the Protect Ontario Financing Program to cover businesses producing electrical and mechanical equipment, plastic and paper products, packaging, furniture, beverages including alcohol, and other goods hit by the new section 338 tariffs that took effect August 22.Access continues for companies still facing section 232 tariffs on steel, aluminum, copper and automotives. The loans, which start at a minimum of $250,000 and are repayable over up to 72 months, help cover working capital costs such as payroll, lease payments and utilities.“No matter what President Trump sends our way, we’ll have your backs,” Ford said. “We will be there for you to protect your jobs and paycheques and stand up for Canada.”The $1 billion facility forms part of nearly $30 billion in provincial tariff-relief measures. It operates alongside the $150 million Ontario Together Trade Fund, which has supported 89 companies with projects totalling nearly $1 billion that officials say will protect and create more than 10,000 jobs. The $40 million Trade-Impacted Communities Program has funded seven projects valued at $5.6 million that the government says have created and protected 1,605 jobs. The Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit is projected to provide an estimated $2.7 billion in income tax relief over five years..Ford backed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to reject a trade deal he described as bad for Canadian workers and to respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar. He called on the federal government to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions standards for Canadian-made vehicles, exempt tariff-impacted sectors from emissions performance standards, drop steel import quotas, redirect counter-tariff revenues to affected workers and businesses, and cut taxes to improve competitiveness.Trump posted on Truth Social describing Ford as “the less charismatic, intelligent, and overall unimpressive brother of the late, great, Rob Ford” and Carney’s “Flunky.” He claimed America has been carrying Canada for decades, that Canada could not survive without the United States, that unemployment is at 10% and rising, and that businesses are fleeing because of failed policies. He warned that if Canadian leaders do not “fall in line,” the consequences “will be far WORSE.”Ford rejected the criticism, calling Trump a dictator, a bully and “the king of bankruptcies.” “I’m not going to take any advice off a guy that’s the king of bankruptcies,” he said. “I have more courage, more brains in my baby toe than he has in his whole body.”.Ford claimed Ontario created nearly 120,000 full-time jobs over the past four months and led North America in job creation last month with 52,000 positions. He presented a $572 million cheque to Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath for infrastructure supporting affordable housing and dismissed NDP calls to recall the legislature, saying the opposition had voted against previous protective measures.No updated figures were released on how many additional companies may qualify for the expanded loans or the expected volume of new lending.You can watch the full press conference below.
