‘Full court press’: Ontario cities look for ways to fight Donald Trump’s trade war
Global News
Municipal politicians from across Ontario have been pondering ways that they can show support for Canada as the ongoing trade dispute with the U.S. drags on.
On Friday, a group of mayors from border towns across Canada issued a plea to higher levels of government, asking for help for their communities as the threat of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump had caused them to see traffic through their towns dwindle.
One of the group was Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, who earlier in the week had issued a letter to council members, which asked them to consider removing U.S. flags from municipal facilities.
In his letter, Bradley said that he felt it was highly inappropriate for the American flag to be flying in municipal venues such as local hockey arenas as the U.S. government makes mention of turning Canada into the 51st state.
“While many of us have cross-border friendships and respect for Americans individually, this action cannot be allowed to stand,” the letter read. “I recommend thot all American flags be removed from municipal lands in Sarnia.”
If Sarnia were to make the change, it would follow on the heels of similar moves by Mississauga, Barrie and Essex while other towns and cities have made moves in other areas to provide counter in the trade war.
On March 17, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow introduced a 10-page plan to counter Trump’s tariffs including limiting staff travel to the U.S. as well as limiting American companies from bidding on city contracts.
A number of other cities are looking at similar options including the City of Kitchener, where Mayor Berry Vrbanovic says his city has already made some changes although there are limits.
“We have actually directed staff to amend Kitchener’s procurement bylaw to support buy Canadian, buy local, where we can do it within the legal framework that exists of existing trade agreements that Canada is involved in,” he told Global News.
A targeted home invasion and kidnapping led to a gunpoint standoff with police and an overnight chase across Toronto. Two suspects remain at large, investigators say.
In a post on his LinkedIn account, Simon Donner says he resigned on Tuesday and he is grateful for the opportunity to help shape climate policy in Canada.
The development charges can vary greatly from city to city, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation report found.
The three leaders will be in Washington, D.C., for the FIFA World Cup draw, marking the first time they will be in the same room together.
Flu season has arrived early, with CHEO reporting eight times more cases than last year as hospitals warn of rising infections among children and seniors.
Nova Scotia’s largest utility is responding to a stinging letter from Premier Tim Houston by insisting it hasn't broken any laws.
A British Columbia Liberal MP said Prime Minister Mark Carney "will have to answer" questions on why he reversed a budget commitment on tax credits in Alberta energy deal.
AFN Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak has said Budget 2025 failed First Nations because it did not include more infrastructure funding and educational resources for their communities.
Conservation officers in B.C. say they've captured four more grizzly bears that are being tested to determine if they were involved in an attack on a school group last month.
Joshua Wright says a yellow cedar tree he photographed last year was "incredible," the largest he'd ever seen in a decade of hiking around Vancouver Island.
Canadians could face grocery bills up to $1,000 higher in 2026 as food prices rise 4-6 per cent, with restaurants and meat seeing the biggest jumps.
Despite a growing homelessness problem in the South Okanagan city, council voted 4-2 against the project and the millions of provincial dollars that would come along with it.
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon told a House of Commons committee the updated strategy will come next year, after saying in the fall it would come this year.