TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford officially set a provincial election in motion Tuesday for Feb. 27, more than a year before the next fixed election date. The election had been set for June 2026, but Ford said he needs a new mandate to deal with four years of a Donald Trump presidency in the United States.

Doug Ford, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, said the 25% tariffs threatened by Trump would devastate Canada’s economy and cost Ontario thousands of jobs. More: Trudeau: Canada will respond to US tariffs;