It's crunch time for Canada's trade deal with the U.S. and Mexico

Canada’s Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc will travel to Washington, D.C., next week for critical negotiations on renewing the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), the first in-person meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer since December. The agreement, covering $1.3 trillion in annual trade, is due for its first joint review on July 1, requiring all three nations to submit proposed changes by June 24. The U.S. has adopted a hardline stance, insisting Canada must first make concessions—including ending provincial boycotts on U.S. alcohol and scrapping the federal Online Streaming Act—before substantive talks begin. Greer criticized Canada’s approach, noting it and China were the only countries to retaliate against U.S. tariffs, and suggested Canada’s position complicates negotiations. Meanwhile, the U.S. and Mexico held bilateral talks this week, with further rounds scheduled in June and July. The U.S. has repeatedly stated tariffs on Canadian goods will remain regardless of CUSMA’s renewal, while Canada’s government views the review as an opportunity to seek relief from those tariffs. The slow pace of negotiations and U.S. demands have raised concerns about the agreement’s future, as CUSMA remains vital to Canada’s economy. The upcoming talks will determine whether the three nations can reach a compromise before the July 1 deadline.