LeBlanc returning to Washington to meet with Greer, continue deal finalization

Some premiers say they’re optimistic about Canada’s progress in reaching a trade deal to avoid punishing tariffs from the United States, while others say they’re waiting for more details about the agreement.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Tuesday he would put a three-day pause on 50 per cent tariffs that would have hit an array of Canadian goods just after midnight Wednesday. The pause, until just after midnight Saturday, is to allow time to put the agreed upon deal into writing.

Canada is looking for relief on sectoral tariffs on steel, aluminum, forestry and the auto sector.

Multiple news reports have said the deal will see the United States lower sectoral tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum. Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal both reported the duties would be reduced from the current 50 per cent levels to 25 per cent.

A source with knowledge of some terms of the agreement but who is not authorized to speak publicly about them told The Canadian Press that lower duties on steel and aluminum were part of the deal but could not say how the tariff rate would change.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told reporters Wednesday he was “optimistic” about the deal, adding that Carney has asked provinces to restock American alcohol on their shelves.

B.C. Premier David Eby said while no agreement will offer everything the country is hoping for, the federal government has made substantial progress across strategic sectors.

Premier Scott Moe of Saskatchewan said Wednesday that he hopes both countries can negotiate a deal that would reduce U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum, autos and lumber.

Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette told reporters it was too soon to make a judgment call about the deal, adding that she needed more information to see whether it’s positive for her province.

Carney has yet to speak publicly about the deal, but in a statement released Wednesday he said the new deal reinforces and builds on Canada’s existing trade advantages with the U.S.

Trump on Wednesday said it was a “good deal for everybody” and repeated claims that the agreement would drop tariffs on American farmers to zero. He said the Trump administration has a “very nice relationship with leadership right now.”

When asked whether the duties on Canadian steel and aluminum would be lowered, he responded that “we may bring some of the tariffs down to a level where other countries are because Canada was paying a higher tariff.”

The U.S. has listed Canada’s retaliatory tariff-free auto quota, provincial booze bans and Canada’s supply managed dairy sector as the justification for the 50 per cent tariff threat on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods.

“We certainly, I think, have eliminated some of the irritants that we’ve had over the past year,” Greer said Wednesday. “We also are taking a strong foot forward.”

Unlike other tariffs, these duties would affect goods that are compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, or CUSMA, on trade. The tariffs would be placed on a wide variety of goods from hockey sticks to honey and concrete to plywood.

This report by The Canadian Press was first publish Aug. 20, 2026.

by The Canadian Press

LeBlanc returning to Washington to meet with Greer, continue deal finalization

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