US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Washington and Ottawa had reached a trade agreement, ending a dispute that threatened new tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods.
Trump described the accord as “very fair” and said it would ensure no tariffs for US farmers and businesses exporting to Canada. Full terms of the agreement were not immediately released, and Canadian officials did not confirm the details Trump outlined.
The deal follows a short reprieve on the levies. New US tariffs had been scheduled to take effect Wednesday but were delayed by three days while the two governments continued talks.
The tariff measures had targeted about $20 billion in Canadian imports. Their suspension gave negotiators additional time to settle outstanding issues before the levies were due to apply.
Trade tensions between the two neighbours have run through much of the year. Washington earlier warned of steep duties, at one point threatening tariffs of up to 100 percent if Ottawa advanced a separate deal involving China.
Canada is one of the largest trading partners of the United States, and agricultural exports have been a recurring point of friction. Trump said the new arrangement would protect American farmers seeking access to the Canadian market.
Neither government has published the text of the agreement. It was not clear whether the deal covers all sectors previously subject to the threatened tariffs or a narrower set of goods.
The suspended levies are set to expire at the end of the three-day pause. Both sides are expected to detail the agreement’s provisions in the coming days.