Ontario signs agreement to boost trade with Utah amid ongoing trade war

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks at a press conference in Toronto, on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Ontario has signed a memorandum of understanding with Utah to boost trade, marking the latest in a series of similar agreements that have been inked with individual U.S. states since the onset of the trade war.

Premier Doug Ford signed the agreement alongside Utah Governor Spencer Cox on Monday as the two attended an annual meeting of governors from Western U.S. states that is being held in Deer Valley, Utah.

The agreement is part of Ford’s ‘Fortress North America’ plan that was launched in response to the trade war. It is effectively a commitment for Ontario and Utah to work together to boost trade in several key sectors, including critical minerals, advanced manufacturing, energy and nuclear technology, life sciences, forestry and information and communications technology.

“Canada and the United States are always stronger when we work together to increase cooperation, collaboration and trade so we can grow the economy on both sides of the border,” Ford said in a news release. “With nearly $7 billion in annual trade between Ontario and Utah already, today’s agreement will help deliver new opportunities for our province’s world-class workers and companies and create lasting prosperity in both regions.”

Ontario has signed nine different agreements to grow trade with U.S. states since 2023, with the pace of the agreements picking up in the wake of the trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump.

This agreement with Utah, in fact, comes after separate deals signed with Pennsylvania and South Carolina in recent weeks.

Under the agreement with Utah, Ontario is specifically pledging to work with officials to develop opportunities for collaboration in the energy and energy-infrastructure sectors with an emphasis on “advanced nuclear technologies, grid modernization, and innovative energy storage solutions.”

It is also committing to promoting “collaborative projects” in the field of critical minerals with a focus on “critical mineral supply partnerships, mineral processing infrastructure, and mine-technology/innovation.”

“Utah and Ontario share a strong commitment to building and powering the future,” Utah Governor Spencer Cox said in the news release. “This agreement strengthens an already important trade relationship and supports good jobs on both sides of the border. We’re grateful for Premier Ford’s partnership and excited to keep this momentum going.”