‘It’s not going to be good’: Ford says Trump’s tariffs could cost Ontario 500,000 jobs

The premier said he would take a wait-and-see approach to see what sectors of the province will be most affected by the 25% tariff

Premier Doug Ford says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs on Canadian goods could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs in Ontario, creating the need for billions of dollars in stimulus spending.

“These tariffs will affect every single person…It’s not going to be good; I will tell you that right now,” Ford said at a news conference in Toronto Tuesday, as he announced another pillar of his so-called “Fortress Am-Can” plan to stave off the threatened tax.

Ford has said his government would be forced to spend “tens of billions of dollars” to bolster the province in the event the tariffs are put in place. On Monday, and amid speculation that he will call an early election, Ford said that a vote would need to take place to unlock that funding. He alluded to that possibility again on Tuesday.

“If that happens -- and we haven’t decided, first of all, if that’s going to happen -- I’ll still be working [as premier]. You know, answering the calls, speaking to U.S. governors and congress people. Speaking to other premiers across the provinces, so you never stop working,” Ford said in response to being asked if holding an early election would create a leadership vacuum in Ontario.

The premier said he would take a wait-and-see approach to see what sectors of the province will be most affected by the 25 per cent tariff, should they come to pass after Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.

“It all depends on the amount of tariffs, what sectors they’re affecting. But I was getting numbers yesterday from the ministries: It could cost 500,000 jobs,” Ford said. “This is serious. It’s unprecedented. Let’s hope it doesn’t cost 500,000 jobs. But we need the ability to go in there and support the sectors and the people to make sure we protect Ontario, and return Canadian jobs as well right across our country.”

Voters in Ontario are next scheduled to go to the polls in June 2026 and Ford, so far, has not committed to that timeline.

Ford, and the rest of Canada’s premiers, will travel to Ottawa on Wednesday to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc in the face of Trump’s threat.

The premier has repeatedly called on the federal government to reveal more details about its $1.3 billion plan to secure the border against the illegal flow of migrants and drugs, which Trump has said Canada needs to enforce to reverse the impending tariff, and said Tuesday that it needs to “get its act together.”

Crombie says ‘unnecessary’ early election would cost taxpayers $175M

In response to Ford’s statement about the potential job losses, Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said the 500,000 figure is “inflated” and being used to “justify” an early election.

“An election that could cost $175 million today, if held in the next couple of weeks, while he has a majority government, which means, of course, that he can pass any legislation he wants to -- and already has,” she told CP24 in an interview, adding that a call to the polls would be “absolutely unnecessary” and “reckless.”

Opposition leader Marit Stiles struck a similar tone in a statement following Ford’s Tuesday morning news conference.

“Ford says 500,000 jobs may be at risk from Trump’s tariff threats. So why is he worried about only one job—his own?” the NDP leader said in a statement. “Doug Ford needs to put the good of the province ahead of his own political interests and shelve his early election plans.”

Both party leaders have expressed their willingness to work with Ford, should the province need a massive injection of cash to deal with Trump’s tariffs.

Ford is set to meet with LeBlanc at Queen’s Park Tuesday afternoon ahead of the premiers' summit on Wednesday.