Premier Doug Ford says he needs a "clear mandate" from Ontario voters to wage an economic battle against potentially devastating tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump says could come on Feb. 1.

The premier, who signalled he needs a "clear mandate" to spend the tens of billions of dollars in stimulus funds to keep the province's economy afloat after President Donald Trump's

Trump pledged in his inaugural address that tariffs would be coming in a speech in which he promised a golden era for America. He later said Canada and Mexico could be hit with the tariffs as soon as Feb. 1, though he signed an executive order requesting a report coordinated by the Secretary of Commerce by April. 1.

Trump retook the Oval Office on Monday afternoon and has long threatened to introduce a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports, unless both countries secure their borders against illegal migrants and drugs, on the first day of his administration.

Addressing a national response to threats of 25 per cent tariffs by incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, Premier Doug Ford suggested he would require a new mandate before spending “tens of billions of dollars” on economic stimulus packages for impacted industries and workers.

Premier Doug Ford says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s promised tariffs on Canadian goods could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs in Ontario, creating the need for billions of dollars in stimulus spending.