Fact Check: Did Canada have tariffs on export of gas, oil or electricity to the US before 2025?
What We Know
The claim that Canada had tariffs on the export of gas, oil, or electricity to the U.S. before 2025 is incorrect. Prior to 2025, Canada did not impose tariffs on these energy exports. In fact, the U.S. has historically relied heavily on Canadian energy imports, with Canada being the largest supplier of oil and natural gas to the U.S. market. As of early 2025, the U.S. government estimated that approximately 60% of oil imported by the U.S. came from Canada, highlighting the deep integration of the two countries' energy markets (source-1).
In February 2025, a trade war initiated by the U.S. led to the imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods, but notably, oil and energy exports from Canada were only subject to a 10% tariff, which is not the same as Canada imposing tariffs on its exports (source-4). Furthermore, Ontario did announce a 25% surcharge on electricity exported to specific U.S. states in response to U.S. tariffs, but this was a retaliatory measure and not a pre-existing tariff (source-3).
Analysis
The evidence indicates that Canada did not have tariffs on the export of gas, oil, or electricity to the U.S. prior to 2025. The U.S. tariffs imposed in early 2025 were a reaction to trade tensions and did not reflect any Canadian policy on tariffs for energy exports. The claim is further complicated by the fact that while Canada did implement a surcharge on electricity exports as a response to U.S. tariffs, this action occurred after the initiation of the trade war and was not indicative of a pre-existing tariff regime (source-2).
The sources used in this analysis are reliable, with information derived from reputable news outlets and government data. The timeline of events is consistent across multiple sources, confirming that the tariffs in question were imposed by the U.S. and not by Canada (source-5; source-6).
Conclusion
The verdict is False. Canada did not have tariffs on the export of gas, oil, or electricity to the U.S. before 2025. The tariffs that were introduced were part of a U.S. trade policy and were not reflective of any Canadian tariff regime. The actions taken by Canada in response to U.S. tariffs were retaliatory and not indicative of a pre-existing policy of imposing tariffs on energy exports.
Sources
- 2025 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico
- Canadian electricity a new focus of the U.S. trade war
- Just facts: Canadian Tariffs
- U.S. Oil and Gas Tariffs on Canada and Mexico: What Are ...
- Canada Electricity Exports Risk: US Trade Tensions - EF News
- Could Trump's Canadian Tariffs Lead to an Energy Crisis?
- Long-term U.S. tariffs could devastate Canada's energy sector ...
- Canada's Tariff Conflict With The U.S. Turns Energy Into A ...
