Donald Trump has stated that he intends to add to the existing tariffs on Canadian goods the cost of the damage which, he claims, the US is suffering as a result of smoke from forest fires. Canada’s Minister of Emergency Preparedness, Eleanor Olszewski, replied that the government’s priority is public safety, and highlighted the two countries’ long-standing cooperation in firefighting.
Briefly about the main points
- Trump linked possible new tariffs to the smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
- He did not specify the rates, the list of goods or the legal mechanism.
- A haze has settled over Washington, New York, Cleveland and other cities.
- Hundreds of fires are still burning in Ontario and northern communities are being evacuated.
- Canada has reiterated its commitment to mutual assistance with the US during the wildfires.
Claim for compensation regarding tariffs
In a post on Truth Social 17 July Donald Trump accused Canada of failing to manage its forests and scrubland properly. He described this as «deliberate negligence» and claimed that the smoke was causing billions of dollars’ worth of damage to the United States.
According to Trump, he wants to add to applicable duties an «incalculable» cost of pollution on Canadian goods. He also announced his intention to telephone the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Trump did not specify a particular rate, amount, list of goods or mechanism for introducing such a levy. Therefore, at present, this is a political threat rather than an announced tariff decision.
Smoke has blanketed American cities
On 16–17 July, smoke from wildfires in Canada and in the state of Minnesota spread from the Midwest to the North-East of the US. The authorities issued air quality warnings.
The haze was observed, in particular, in Washington, New York and Cleveland. In Cleveland, a baseball match was postponed due to the haze.
Fires and evacuations in Ontario
In Ontario report about hundreds of forest fires, around 190 of which are in the north of the province. Since the start of the year, the fires have burnt approximately 650,000 acres there, or around 2,630 square kilometres.
Thousands of people were evacuated from the danger zones. The Namaygoosisagagun First Nation, also known as Collins First Nation, was destroyed; a further 10 northern communities in Ontario were either evacuated or preparing for evacuation.
Back in May, the Canadian government warned of an increased risk of fires in July due to above-average temperatures, drought in some regions and a high fire risk. The authorities attributed these risks to warmer, drier and windier conditions caused by climate change.
Ottawa has reiterated its commitment to joint firefighting efforts
Minister for Emergency Situations Eleanor Olszewski stated that the safety of Canadians is the top priority. She highlighted the long-standing US-Canadian cooperation in combating wildfires and noted that, since 2020, Canada has invested 12 billion Canadian dollars in sustainable forest management and fire prevention measures.
Mutual assistance between countries operates on a reciprocal basis in accordance with the 1982 agreement and covers personnel, aircraft and equipment. For example, during the record-breaking fire season of 2023, the US sent 2,774 specialists and pieces of equipment to Canada.
Premier of Ontario Doug Ford, responding to criticism from the US, said that instead of complaining, the US should send aid. He also announced plans to purchase 11 new fire-fighting aircraft for the province.
