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What the US wants from Canada on trade

December 18, 2025

The United States has presented its most explicit demands for maintaining the USMCA free trade agreement with Canada, focusing on several key areas of contention. American negotiators are pushing for expanded access to Canada's tightly controlled dairy market, changes to Canadian laws requiring US streaming platforms and tech companies to pay for and promote Canadian content, and the removal of provincial bans on American liquor sales implemented in response to Trump's tariffs. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer outlined these requirements to Congress as part of an ongoing review of the North American trade pact, while President Trump has suggested potentially abandoning the agreement altogether.

Who is affected

  • US dairy farmers and producers
  • Canadian dairy farmers operating under supply management
  • American streaming services (Netflix, Spotify)
  • Tech giants (Meta, Google)
  • Canadian media companies, artists, and content creators
  • American liquor producers experiencing sales declines
  • Canadian provinces (particularly Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan)
  • Montana-based electricity providers
  • Alberta's electrical grid operator
  • Canadian and American consumers

What action is being taken

  • US officials are conducting a broader review of the USMCA trade pact
  • US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer is outlining demands before a Congressional committee
  • Most Canadian provinces (excluding Alberta and Saskatchewan) are boycotting US liquor sales
  • Ontario is maintaining its boycott of American alcohol products

Why it matters

  • This matters because the USMCA trade agreement governs hundreds of billions of dollars in cross-border commerce between the United States and Canada, affecting industries from agriculture to technology. The unresolved demands threaten the continuation of the free trade pact, with President Trump considering withdrawal from the agreement entirely. The disputes touch on fundamental questions of economic sovereignty, cultural protection, and fair market access, with potential consequences for jobs, consumer prices, and bilateral relations between two of the world's largest trading partners.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC