Ontario Premier Doug Ford slams Carney over China deal, warns of risks to auto sector

“Make no mistake: China now has a foothold in the Canadian market and will use it to their full advantage at the expense of Canadian workers,” Ford wrote on X.

Ford’s comments come after Carney and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a new Canada–China strategic partnership during Carney’s visit to Beijing.

The agreement focuses on cooperation across energy, trade, public safety, multilateralism, and culture and people-to-people ties, as Ottawa seeks to diversify trade beyond the United States amid global economic uncertainty.

As part of the deal, China is expected to reduce tariffs on Canadian canola oil from about 85% to roughly 15% by March 1, while Canada agreed to apply a 6.1% most-favoured-nation tariff on Chinese electric vehicle imports.

Ford, however, warned that the agreement risks flooding Canada with low-cost Chinese vehicles without firm commitments to invest in domestic manufacturing.

“The federal government is inviting a flood of cheap made-in-China electric vehicles without any real guarantee of equal or immediate investments in Canada’s economy, auto sector or supply chain,” he said.

He also cautioned that easing tariffs on Chinese EVs could undermine Canada’s relationship with the United States, its largest export market.

“By lowering tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, this lopsided deal risks closing the door on Canadian automakers to the American market,” Ford said, adding that it could lead to job losses.

Carney has defended the partnership as part of a broader strategy to make Canada’s economy more resilient by reducing reliance on a single trade partner.

The federal government has said the China deal could unlock billions of dollars in agricultural exports and support cooperation in clean energy, technology and manufacturing.

Ford called on the federal government to take immediate steps to support Ontario’s auto sector, including ending the federal electric vehicle mandate, harmonising regulations with key trading partners and scrapping federal fees he said raise production costs.

“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,” he said.

Framing the issue as one affecting both farmers and industrial workers, Ford urged Ottawa to rethink its approach.

“Canadians expect and deserve a federal government that gives them every shot at success,” he said.