January 16, 2026
RED FM News Desk
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is criticizing the federal government’s new agreement with China, announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney during his visit to China.
Under the newly announced deal, China will reduce tariffs on Canadian agricultural products by March 1. In return, Canada will lower its tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles which are at 100%. As a result, an estimated 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles will be allowed to enter Canada per year at a reduced tariff rate of 6.1 per cent. By 2030, the price of about half of those vehicles could drop below $35,000, a move the federal government says would make electric vehicles more affordable for Canadians.
Premier Ford reacted to the agreement in a post on X, warning that the deal can harm Canadian auto workers and damage the country’s auto sector. He said allowing cheap Chinese-made electric vehicles into Canada without guarantees of equivalent investment, while also reducing tariffs, could threaten Canadian automakers’ access to the U.S. market, which is Canada’s largest export destination. Ford added that the agreement could also put Canadian auto industry jobs at risk.
Ford said that to address these concerns, the federal government and the prime minister should support Ontario’s auto sector by making it more competitive. He argued this should include ending the federal EV mandate, eliminating federal fees, and improving trade rules to better support domestic manufacturing.
“Instead of importing made-in-China vehicles, the federal government needs to be focused on working with Ontario to bring investment and jobs to factory floors in Brampton, Oshawa, Ingersoll and across the province, where assembly lines are at risk or have already left the country.”, he further said.
He added that rather than importing vehicles built in China, Ottawa should work with Ontario to attract investment and create jobs at auto plants in Brampton, Oshawa, Ingersoll, and across the province, where assembly lines are either under threat or have already shut down. Ford said Canadians, whether farmers or auto workers, expect a federal government that gives them every opportunity to succeed. He urged Prime Minister Carney to collaborate with Ontario to strengthen, not weaken, Canada’s auto industry, saying the goal should be to protect both Ontario and the country as a whole.
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