Canada pushes for 16‑year renewal of the USMCA trade pact

Canada has formally notified the United States and Mexico that it seeks to extend the United States‑Mexico‑Canada Agreement (USMCA) for another 16 years. In a letter dated 1 June, Canadian trade minister Dominic LeBlanc wrote to U.S. negotiator Jared Griffith and Mexican finance minister Marcelo Ebrard, recommending the renewal of the historic agreement that has driven growth and success since it entered force in 2020. The three parties must declare by 1 July whether they intend to renegotiate the pact or withdraw from it.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly questioned the benefits of the USMCA for the United States, even suggesting Canada could become a 51st state, while U.S. negotiator Griffith has expressed a desire to retain key sections of the deal. Mexico began its own official talks with the United States on 27 May, but progress remains limited. The agreement is critical to Canada and Mexico, as the United States absorbs about 75 % of Canadian exports and 80 % of Mexican exports.