Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off power supplies to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump follows through with his plan to impose tariffs on all Canadian imports.

Ford told reporters after his virtual meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several provincial leaders on Wednesday:

“We will use all available means, and if necessary, we will take the step of cutting the power supplies we provide to states like Michigan, New York, and Wisconsin. I don’t want this to happen, but my first job is to protect the people of Ontario and all Canadians.”

Canada is the largest source of U.S. energy imports, and Ford declined to provide further details, noting that he is waiting to see what the future events will bring. However, he confirmed that Ottawa and the Canadian provinces are preparing a list of U.S. goods that will be subjected to retaliatory tariffs. Mexico has also indicated it may respond in kind.

Ford added: “We will use all available tools, including cutting the power we send to them.”

The Prime Minister noted that Trump’s imposition of tariffs is not a matter of possibility, but rather a matter of time:

“Friends, this is coming, and it’s not a question of if, but when. It will be on January 20 or 21. We need to be prepared. We must stand as one country and work hand in hand with our colleagues across the nation.”

The value of Ontario’s trade with the United States was about $500 billion in 2023, according to the provincial government. Ford emphasized the importance of the trade relationship with the United States for Ontario more than any other Canadian region.

Ford described the meeting with Trudeau and the provincial governments as “constructive,” noting that the federal government presented a plan to address border issues, which is one of the concerns Trump cited as a reason for imposing tariffs.

Trump had demanded that Canada tighten border measures to curb the flow of fentanyl and migrants, or face sweeping tariffs.

Regarding increased border security, Ford confirmed that the federal government promised to deploy more customs officers and Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) at the border. Trudeau also indicated that Canada is prepared to spend more on border security.

In a separate context, Ford criticized Trudeau’s statements that drew negative reactions in the United States, describing them as “unhelpful,” and confirmed that the message was clearly received during the meeting.

Ford concluded his remarks by saying:

“Trump was elected democratically. Whether we like it or not, it’s not our business. And the Prime Minister received the message clearly.”