Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the Canadian province would end its Starlink contract with SpaceX.
The deal, worth about $68 million, aimed to provide internet access to 15,000 homes and businesses.
Ford suggested he’d ban US companies from provincial contracts until Trump’s tariffs are removed.
One of Elon Musk’s companies could be about to lose a $68 million contract because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs against Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on Monday that the province would be “ripping up” its contract with Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX.
“Ontario won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy,” Ford said on X. “Canada didn’t start this fight with the U.S., but you better believe we’re ready to win it.”
In November, Ontario awarded a contract worth about $68 million to SpaceX, helmed by Musk, to provide internet access to “15,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses” across Ontario by June.
Ford also said on Monday that Ontario would be “banning American companies from provincial contracts,” adding that the Ontario government spent about $30 billion on procurement each year and argued that “U.S.-based businesses will now lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues.”
Starting today and until U.S. tariffs are removed, Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts.
Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will…
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) February 3, 2025
“They only have President Trump to blame,” Ford said.
Trump has announced a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on imports from China.
The US on Monday agreed to delay the tariffs on Mexico by a month in exchange for compromises on some of Trump’s border demands. Colombia similarly worked out an agreement with the Trump administration about a week ago after the White House threatened a 25% tariff on the country.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday that Canada would impose 25% tariffs on about $106 billion worth of US goods. Some of the tariffs are set to go into effect on Tuesday and others in about three weeks.
Ford has previously criticized Trump’s policies. More than 30 labor leaders in Ontario gathered last week to demand the premier establish a task force to address US tariffs.
SpaceX, Ford, and the Trump administration did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
