Ontario Premier Cancels $68M Starlink Deal Over Tariffs

Ontario’s premier announced Monday that he is ripping up the contract he had with Elon Musk and Starlink Internet Services in response to Donald Trump’s tariffs against Canada.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a $68-million deal in November with Musk’s firm to provide high-speed Internet to rural and northern Ontario residents. Ford said that he would also ban American companies from receiving provincial contracts.

“We’ll be ripping the contract between the province and Starlink,” Ford wrote in an X post, “Ontario will not do business with those who are hell-bent on destroying our economy.”

Ford claimed that U.S. businesses would lose “tens of billions” of dollars in new revenue as a direct result of Ontario’s reaction. He said, “They have only President Trump to blame.”

Ontario and other provinces have already announced their plans to remove American brands of liquor from government shelves. Ford noted that the Liquor Control Board of Ontario sold nearly $1 billion of American wine, beer, seltzers, and spirits each year.

Ford, who held an election in his province last weekend, said, “Canada did not start this war with the U.S. but you better believe that we are ready to win it.”

Canada and Mexico retaliated against Trump’s tariffs by imposing sweeping tariffs on American products.

Trump responded Sunday, criticizing Canada’s trade surplus with the United States and contending that without that surplus, “Canada ceases to exist as a viable Country. Harsh but true! Therefore, Canada should become our Cherished 51st State. Much lower taxes, and far better military protection for the people of Canada — AND NO TARIFFS!”