Ontario to Buy American Electricity This Winter, Ford Insists Every Imported Kilowatt Will Be Glared At Upon Arrival
Months after Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off electricity exports to the United States, Ontario says it will import American power this winter. Officials call this "a full trade cycle." Everyone else calls it a U-turn with extra paperwork.
Grid operators explained, gently, that the system is shared, demand peaks in winter, and electrons do not carry passports. Queen's Park disagreed in principle and agreed in practice, which is the traditional order of operations at Queen's Park.
Sources say the premier's office briefly looked at labelling incoming American power as "Ontario electricity, temporarily abroad." A second idea, putting each imported kilowatt-hour through a ceremonial customs checkpoint in Sarnia, was dropped after an engineer explained the speed of light.
Supporters point out that Ontario never actually cut its exports, so technically nothing has been reversed. Critics point out that if you threaten a supplier, don't follow through, and then become their customer, you haven't started a trade war. You've signed up for a subscription.
Across the river, Michigan utilities spent last spring bracing for a winter without Canadian power. Now they're working out how to invoice the province that threatened them. One utility spokesperson said the company welcomes Ontario's business "as long as the cheque clears faster than the threat did."
The premier's office has confirmed it will stand firm on principle. Ontario will add a 25 per cent surcharge to the American electricity it buys, and it will pay that surcharge to itself.