Donald Trump’s protectionist trade policies are driving the UK and Canada closer together. In an exclusive interview with The Express ahead of a London trade mission next week, Ontario’s trade minister, Vic Fedeli, said the province was no longer looking south to the United States.
“Every time President Trump speaks, it has a chilling effect because he creates uncertainty. So we need to look globally,” he said. “We have been shifting our trading relationships from north to south, to east to west.” Fedeli will deliver a speech at Lloyd’s of London and meet British defence and tech firms as part of a four-day visit aimed at deepening commercial ties and promoting Ontario as a stable and reliable trading partner.
Trade between Canada’s most industrialised province and the UK is already worth £15 billion in goods.
Ontario has 40% of the Canadian population and is described as the “economic engine of the entire country”.
It is also where key resources like nickel, copper, cobalt, gold and platinum are found.
The UK is Ontario’s second-largest export market, accounting for £13 billion of those exports. Around 450 Ontario-based companies operate in the UK, while some 260 British firms do business in Ontario.
Fedeli said Ontario’s growing appeal to international investors stems from its economic strength, critical mineral base and record of reliability.
“Companies who want a North American base are looking north, to Ontario, because they know us to be a reliable partner,” he said.
“There’s not one commercial aircraft flying today that doesn’t have something made in Ontario,” he added. “80% of the nickel exported to the US is Canadian. If they stop buying from us, they’ll have to turn to China.”
He warned that America’s aluminium industry was also dependent on Canadian supply.
“If the United States were to produce aluminium at their existing facilities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, at 100% capacity, they would only produce one per cent of all the aluminium they need – 60% comes from Canada.”
His trip to London is part of a broader campaign to expand cooperation in high-growth sectors.
“We’re bullish on defence, IT, life sciences,” he said.
“Ontario is home to 85,000 AI employees. We’re the number two tech cluster in North America. And we’re open for business.”
He pointed to UK defence rearmament as a major opportunity.
“The UK is projected to spend £57 billion as part of NATO’s £1.25 trillion rearmament. Ontario has the materials – steel, nickel – and the capacity. The plate steel for armoured vehicles and shipbuilding is made in Ontario.”
Fedeli said a formal FTA t with the UK would give businesses long-term confidence.
“We realise there’s a pause right now, but we’d like a permanent deal,” he said.
“Something you can check off and say, ‘Right, we’re done.’”
William Bain, head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said Canada was a natural entry point for UK exporters.
“Companies that export actually become more productive,” he said
“If you’re a UK company beginning to export, Canada has the advantage of one of the two languages being the same as ours and quite a few similarities with the UK in terms of culture, the ecosystem and the way contracts are done, so it could be quite attractive to sell into.”
He added that once Canada ratifies the UK’s accession to the CPTPP trade bloc, there will be greater scope to improve digital services, customs, and supply chain integration.
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said:
“Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with trade worth around £28 billion in 2024. We will continue to work with Ontario and the Canadian Government to grow this trade further, including through the Economic and Trade Working Group established by our Prime Ministers at the G7 in June.”