Trudeau says Canada will impose 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Monday Canada would impose a 100 per cent tariff on electric vehicle imports from China.

Trudeau told reporters in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that Ottawa would impose a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from China.

The tariffs come just over a month after Ottawa launched a 30-day public consultation on Chinese electric vehicles and related products, bringing it in line with the United States and the European Union.

“I think we all know that China does not play by the same rules,” Trudeau said.

“The key here is that we do this in alignment and in parallel with other economies around the world,” he said.

Ottawa is seeking to position Canada as a vital part of the global electric vehicle supply chain, and is under pressure domestically to take action against China.

Canada has signed a multi-billion dollar deal to attract leading European automakers to bolster its manufacturing hub across all parts of the electric vehicle supply chain.

The United States is expected to announce this week its final implementation plan for the steep tariff hikes announced by President Joe Biden earlier this year, but the planned tariffs could be eased.