Toronto/CMEDIA: Ontario Premier Doug Ford is reportedly adamant that Canada’s tariffs on Chinese Electrical vehicles (EVs) should remain in place.
During Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney visit to China from Jan. 13 to 17, Ford called on him
It will be Canadian prime minister’s first visit to China since 2017.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated on Thursday that Canada’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) should remain in place and urged Carney to stand firm when he travels to China.
“We can’t back down. It’s as simple as that,” Ford told reporters on Thursday during an unrelated news conference.
“They want to come and open a big manufacturing facility and employ Unifor employees, well, let’s talk. But don’t be shipping cars not manufactured by Ontarians.”
Ford has been adamant that the federal government maintain its 100 percent tariffs on Chinese-made EVs, which were imposed in Oct of last year in concert with the United States, and framed as a way to protect domestic manufacturing.
Also read: Ford says ‘no damn way’ Canada should drop tariffs on Chinese EVs
Ford even wrote a letter to Carney in Sept calling on him not to lift the tariff, as doing so would put more than 157,000 jobs in Ontario at risk.
“You’ve got to start building here,” Ford said on Thursday.
Canada has been reviewing its decision to impose the tariffs on EVs imported from China.
But Ford, an outspoken proponent of his province’s auto industry, says Carney should hold the line.
The Prime Minister’s Office said trade, energy, agriculture and international security are all on the agenda.
Asked if he would support a compromise on EV tariffs, Ford restated that the vehicles should be made here.
“We have the best auto workers in the entire world. That’s the compromise,” he said.
In a news conference Thursday, Ford fielded questions on Canada’s 100 percent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles ahead of Carney’s trip to China next week to discuss trade, energy, agriculture and national security.
“Come here and look at the market and maybe it’ll hold other automakers accountable, well, the U.S. automakers, accountable when they’re shipping vehicles up here.”
Last year China’s ambassador to Canada suggested the Chinese electric-vehicle giant BYD has been interested in investing in Canada.
