Top Stories· August 18, 2026 at 05:29 a.m.
Canada-U.S. Trade Talks Reach Final Hours
Key takeaways
- Negotiations over a revised North American trade agreement are reaching their conclusion
- Canada has made concessions on dairy tariffs and cultural protections
- The U.S. has agreed to drop its demand for a five-year sunset clause
Negotiations over a revised North American trade agreement are approaching their conclusion, with both Canada and the United States expressing optimism about reaching an accord. The talks, which began in August 2018, aim to modernize the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
The latest round of discussions took place this week in Washington, D.C., where Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met to address remaining issues.
According to reports, Canada has made significant concessions on dairy tariffs and cultural protections, while the U.S. has agreed to drop its demand for a five-year sunset clause in the agreement.
Freeland stated that 'good progress' was made during the talks, but cautioned that there is still work to be done before a deal can be finalized.
Background: The renegotiation of NAFTA began after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intention to withdraw from the agreement in 2017.