Canada, US Hold Fresh Trade Talks as August 19 Tariff Deadline Nears

Canada and the United States held another round of high-level trade talks on Tuesday as Ottawa seeks to prevent new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods from taking effect on August 19.

Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister responsible for U.S. trade relations, met with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for the third time in three weeks. Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator Janice Charette also participated in the discussions.

“Today, we met with the United States Trade Representative, Jamieson Greer. We remain committed at the negotiating table and continue to work diligently to advance and staunchly defend Canadian interests,” LeBlanc said in a social media post following the meeting.

The negotiations come as U.S. President Donald Trump prepares to impose a new round of tariffs that could put additional pressure on Canada’s fragile economic recovery.

Trump announced last month that the United States would introduce 50% tariffs on a broad range of Canadian products. The proposed measures are intended as retaliation for Canada’s counter-tariffs on U.S. automobiles and steel, as well as decisions by some Canadian provinces not to stock American alcohol.

According to the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the planned tariffs would affect nearly $20 billion in Canadian imports. That represents approximately 5.2% of the $383 billion in goods the United States imported from Canada in 2025, based on U.S. Census Bureau figures.

Significantly, Canadian products covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) would not receive exemptions from the upcoming tariffs, marking a departure from some previous U.S. tariff measures.

With the August 19 deadline approaching, Canada may be willing to address certain trade concerns raised by the Trump administration. A source familiar with the negotiations said Ottawa could offer concessions on selected issues in exchange for Washington abandoning the new tariffs.

The latest Canada-U.S. trade talks highlight the urgency of reaching an agreement before the tariffs take effect and further strain economic relations between the two longtime trading partners.