Ontario Premier Doug Ford says recent meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly were “very productive,” even as sharp disagreements remain over Ottawa’s plan to ease access for Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) into the Canadian market.
Ford met separately with Carney and Joly in Toronto on Jan. 26, describing his discussion with the prime minister as “very, very productive” and expressing confidence that both levels of government can move forward together. He also characterized his conversation with Joly as “great,” emphasizing cooperation despite differing views.
“We’re all part of Team Canada,” Ford told reporters. “Sometimes families disagree, but I’d say we agree about 98 percent of the time. Everyone’s just protecting their area and their workers.”
The meetings followed Carney’s recent trip to China, where Ottawa announced a series of trade agreements with Beijing. Central to the controversy is a deal that would reduce Canada’s tariffs on Chinese EV imports from 100 percent to 6.1 percent for an initial quota of 49,000 vehicles. In exchange, China agreed to lower tariffs on Canadian canola imports from 85 percent to 15 percent.
Ford, whose province hosts the majority of Canada’s auto manufacturing plants, reacted strongly when the deal was first announced. He warned that the agreement would give China a “foothold” in Canada’s auto market and could come “at the expense of Canadian workers.” He also criticized Ottawa for failing to secure firm commitments for immediate investment or manufacturing in Canada.
The premier said he would have preferred advance notice of the deal, noting he was informed only hours before the public announcement, despite the potential impact on Ontario’s economy.
Earlier this month, Ford urged Canadians to boycott Chinese-made EVs and appeared at a Jan. 21 news conference alongside representatives from the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, and Unifor. The groups warned the China deal could undermine Ontario’s auto sector.
Ford has also called on Ottawa to scrap the federal EV sales mandate and reduce fees he says make Canadian manufacturing less competitive. After his Jan. 26 meetings, however, his tone appeared more measured.
“My number one concern is protecting auto workers,” Ford said. “We have one request: build the vehicles here, source the parts here, bring the technology here, and follow the guidelines.”
When pressed on how Carney addressed his concerns, Ford declined to discuss details, saying he does not comment on private conversations with the prime minister.
Carney has said he expects Chinese automakers to invest in Canada and eventually open manufacturing plants. Ford remains skeptical, warning that Ottawa could be opening the door to a surge of low-cost imports without guarantees of long-term benefits for Canadian workers.
Joly, for her part, told reporters she has already met with “many Chinese automakers” and plans to continue discussions. “We have to be open-minded, but not naive,” she said, adding that the federal government would not compromise national security, particularly regarding software and data risks in EVs an issue Ford has previously raised.
Joly also revealed that Ottawa and Ontario have established a joint auto task force aimed at coordinating policy, safeguarding workers, and identifying future strategic investments. She said the federal government will soon present a broader auto strategy designed to ensure trade works for workers, not against them.
Asked whether Ottawa might reconsider its EV mandate, Joly said the government is reviewing all policies affecting auto workers and signalled that further announcements could come in the weeks ahead.
For now, Ford says he remains wary but willing to work with Ottawa. “I’ve been clear about my concerns,” he said. “But we’re going to move forward together.”
