Canada and US negotiators race to finalize tariff deal

The proposed agreement could cut tariffs on Canadian vehicles, steel and aluminum before a new US tariff deadline on Saturday.

Canada and the United States will hold a second day of talks Thursday as negotiators seek to finalize a trade deal before new US tariffs take effect Saturday.

Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is due to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington at 12:15 p.m. EDT. Canada’s chief trade negotiator Janice Charette will also attend, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to meet Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

A proposed agreement could cut the top tariff on Canadian-built vehicles to 15% from 25% and halve US tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum to 25%, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.

President Donald Trump postponed a new 50% tariff on about $20 billion of Canadian goods until Saturday, citing progress in negotiations and the need to finalize documents.

Canada and the United States have been in a trade dispute since Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and vehicles last year, prompting countermeasures from Ottawa.

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