Canada will remove many retaliatory import tariffs on US goods and intensify contacts with the United States on striking a new trade and security relationship, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday.

Canadian tariffs on US autos, steel and aluminium will remain for now, he told a press conference in Ottawa.

Carney noted that the United States had recently made clear that it would not impose tariffs on Canadian goods that were compliant with the three-nation US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, something he called a positive development.

"In this context and consistent with Canada's commitment to USMCA, I am announcing today that the Canadian government will now match the United States by removing all of Canada's tariffs on US goods specifically covered under USMCA," he said.

"Canada and the US have now re-established free trade for the vast majority of our goods," he added, reiterating that compared with its trading partners, Canadian exports were still subject overall to a low level of US tariffs.

In response, Trump applauded Carney's announcement to remove many retaliatory import tariffs on US goods and said he plans to speak to the prime minister soon.

"He's removing his retaliatory tariffs, which I thought was nice and we're going to have another call soon," he told reporters at a press conference in the Oval Office, adding he had a very good call with Carney on Thursday. "I like him." (Reuters)