Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Prime Minister Mark Carney to maintain the high tariffs on electric vehicles during his upcoming visit to China. The Canadian government, in alignment with former U.S. President Joe Biden, imposed a 100 per cent tariff on EVs to safeguard the domestic automobile industry, sparking trade tensions with China. In response, China imposed tariffs on canola, seafood, and pork, prompting pressure on Ottawa to lift the duties to support Canadian farmers and producers. However, Ford, a strong advocate for Ontario’s auto sector, emphasized the importance of holding the line on tariffs during a recent press conference.
Trade discussions will be a focal point of Carney’s meetings with China’s President Xi Jinping and other top officials. The aim is to mend relations strained since 2018, following Canada’s arrest of Huawei Technologies’ CFO and China’s subsequent detention of Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor. The agenda includes trade, energy, agriculture, and international security matters.
Ford reiterated his stance that electric vehicles should be manufactured locally, emphasizing the quality of Ontario’s auto workers as the key compromise. Last year, China’s ambassador to Canada mentioned that the Chinese electric vehicle company BYD had considered investing in Canada but faced challenges and eventually abandoned the idea. The ambassador highlighted the potential for BYD to offer Canadians high-quality and affordable electric vehicles if they had established a presence in Canada.
