Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has held urgent talks with US President Donald Trump, Ottawa confirmed Tuesday, in an effort to avoid fresh US tariffs on Canadian goods as a midnight deadline fast approaches.

Trump signed orders for the steep 50 per cent duties last month, with the White House alleging “discriminatory treatment” by Canada against US alcohol, car and dairy products.

The tariffs are set to take effect on Wednesday, covering products such as wine, hockey sticks and cement. Efforts to avoid the tariffs are going down to the wire.

Carney spoke by phone with Trump on Monday afternoon about the trade negotiations, a spokesman for the Canadian leader said.

On Monday, Carney said that talks to avert the duties were at an “intense and delicate” stage.

Overall, Trump’s incoming tariffs target around 5.5 per cent of Canada’s exports to the US, worth about US$20 billion, Oxford Economics estimates.