Doug Ford urges Canadians to boycott Chinese electric vehicles, citing risk to Ontario jobs
After Ottawa cut tariffs on Chinese EVs, Premier Doug Ford urged Canadians not to buy the 49,000 vehicles allowed in, saying the move threatens Ontario's auto and steel sectors.
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By Torontoer Staff
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is urging consumers to boycott Chinese electric vehicles after the federal government agreed to lower tariffs on imports from China. Ford told reporters at Queen’s Park that the deal, which reduces a 100 per cent tariff to 6.1 per cent for up to 49,000 EVs, puts Ontario’s auto manufacturing jobs at risk.
Ford framed the appeal as a call to support domestic manufacturers and suppliers. He said the province will press Ottawa for clearer commitments from Chinese companies about on-the-ground investment if they want access to the Canadian market.
Ford’s message and political response
At a Jan. 21 news conference, Ford urged Canadians to avoid buying the Chinese-made cars that are now allowed into Canada under the tariff reduction negotiated by Prime Minister Mark Carney. The premier described the change as a potential flood of low-cost imports that could undermine local manufacturing and supply chains.
Boycott the Chinese EV vehicles. Support companies that are building vehicles here, it’s as simple as that.
Doug Ford
Ford also tied the trade issue to other provincial actions. He said Ontario will remove a Diageo-owned whisky from LCBO shelves after the company announced the closure of an Amherstburg bottling plant. That decision has drawn criticism from other provincial leaders, including Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Quebec Finance Minister Éric Girard.
Industry concerns and union warnings
Auto parts makers and unions say the tariff rollback could destabilise an industry still transitioning to electric vehicle production. Critics argue the concession gives importers access to a slice of the Canadian market without any requirement for Canadian content or local manufacturing.
Making that concession in this moment makes the entire Canadian auto sector on shakier ground.
Flavio Volpe, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association
Unifor president Lana Payne, whose union represents some 40,000 Ontario autoworkers, said the move felt like a repeat of past trade decisions that cost jobs. Payne warned that China’s excess EV production capacity reduces the incentive for those companies to build factories in Canada.
They’ve seen this movie before, where their jobs end up on the chopping block because of some trade negotiation opening up the Canadian market to cheap China-owned EVs.
Lana Payne, Unifor
Automakers and parts suppliers added that even if Chinese manufacturers invest in Canada, those operations might still face U.S. tariffs that restrict their ability to export to the United States, which is critical for local plants.
The future of Canada’s auto industry and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that it supports depends on securing our trade relationships with the United States.
Brian Kingston, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association
Federal response and trade context
Prime Minister Mark Carney negotiated the tariff reduction with China in exchange for lower Chinese levies on Canadian canola and seafood. Carney has defended the deal as tightly capped and targeted, noting that about 49,000 Chinese-made vehicles entered Canada in 2023 before higher tariffs were imposed.
Although at that time there wasn’t a cap. Now there’s a cap.
Prime Minister Mark Carney
Federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said the China agreement does not extend beyond this year on some issues, and that Canada still needs to address outstanding concerns such as steel. Ford warned that Ontario’s steel industry, already affected by U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports, could be harmed further if Ottawa makes additional concessions.
What to expect next
Ford plans to meet with federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly ahead of a first ministers’ meeting to press Ottawa for protections and assurances for domestic automakers and suppliers. Industry groups say they want clear rules that steer EV investment into Canadian facilities, not just temporary market access for imports.
- Ford will meet federal officials to discuss the auto sector ahead of the first ministers’ meeting.
- Industry associations are calling for Canadian content or investment requirements tied to market access.
- Unions warn that unchecked imports could threaten jobs and delay local EV production plans.
- Trade discussions with China include other sectors, such as canola, seafood and steel, complicating negotiations.
Stakeholders will be watching whether Ottawa imposes conditions on market access, and whether Chinese firms follow through with concrete investments that create local jobs and supply contracts. For unions and parts suppliers, the key question is timing, not promises, and how fast new investments would translate into work on Canadian assembly lines.
Industry takeaways
The tariff change puts pressure on provincial and federal leaders to balance trade diplomacy with industrial policy. If Chinese imports remain limited and investors commit to local production, the impact could be contained. If imports expand without meaningful domestic investment, industry groups say Canadian jobs and supplier networks could be at risk.
For now, the dispute highlights a broader challenge facing Canada as it seeks to transition to electric vehicles while protecting established manufacturing jobs and the supply chain that supports them.
Doug Fordelectric vehiclestradeOntarioauto industry
