The premier also shed more light on why he opposed the potential agreement being negotiated with Washington, saying his central concern was the failure to secure relief for steel and automobiles.

Asked whether the sticking point was the 25 per cent tariffs affecting those sectors, Ford agreed, saying the U.S. “weren’t budging on that.”

In a four-page letter to Carney dated Aug. 17 and released by the Premier’s Office, Ford said Ontario continues to support negotiations aimed at securing relief from U.S. Section 232 tariffs on Canadian autos and auto parts, steel, aluminum and forestry products.

Matthew Holmes, executive vice-president and chief of public policy at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, spoke about what an interim agreement could mean for businesses, what Ottawa should be looking for at the negotiating table, and why the longer-term goal remains the renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).