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Ontario Premier Doug Ford called on the federal government to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, warning that Ontario jobs could be “at risk” if it fails to do so.
The United States announced plans last month to impose new tariffs of more than 100% on Chinese-made electric vehicles, but the Canadian government has not yet indicated whether it plans to follow suit.
In a statement Thursday, Ford called on the federal government to “immediately match or exceed” U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports, which would eventually apply to some other goods as well.
“China is taking advantage of low labour standards and dirty energy to flood the market with cheap electric vehicles. If we don’t act quickly, Ontario and Canadian jobs are at risk,” Ford warned.
Ford noted that Ontario has received $43 billion in investment in electric vehicles and battery manufacturing, calling it a “full-staff effort.”
But he said, “We must not take our progress for granted.”
“Now is the time to work with our American partners to deepen and strengthen the local U.S.-Canada supply chain,” the statement said. “Now is the time to protect hard-earned, quality jobs in Ontario and Canada by imposing the same tariffs on Chinese imports as the United States.”
Currently, Chinese brands do not have a large share of the Canadian electric vehicle market, but the Canadian Automobile Manufacturers Association Already warned They could be one of those companies “on the horizon” as they have made significant inroads into the European market.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a call with reporters last month that his government was watching the U.S. “closely,” but he stopped short of making any firm commitment to impose matching tariffs.
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