Via cfr.org
Canada and US push for trade deal before August 19 tariff deadline
Canadian officials say negotiations are progressing as Washington prepares 50% tariffs on some imports.
Canada and the United States are working toward a trade agreement before new US tariffs take effect on August 19, according to a Canadian government source.
The source said negotiations are progressing well and that Washington also wants to reach a deal before the deadline.
US President Donald Trump has threatened 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian imports. The measures would include some goods that normally qualify for exemptions under the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc was scheduled to meet US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Thursday. It was their second meeting of the week and fourth in three weeks.
Macro, rates, and crypto—what moved markets and what matters next.
Daily. Free. Join 34,000+ readers across crypto, finance, and policy.
Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, was also expected to attend. She and senior officials from the foreign affairs, finance and agriculture ministries have been engaging with US counterparts daily.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the latest talks encouraging. He said both countries should keep the broader renewal of the USMCA agreement in focus.
The US Trade Representative’s office said the proposed tariffs would cover nearly $20 billion of Canadian imports. That represents about 5.2% of the $383 billion in goods the US imported from Canada in 2025.