Ontario Premier Doug Ford launched a furious public rebuke of Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, demanding the federal leader "fix this mess" created by a new trade arrangement with China concerning electric vehicles.
A 'Lopsided' Deal Sparks Provincial Fury
The controversy stems from an agreement announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in the early hours of Friday, January 16, 2026, following a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Carney heralded the pact as a "landmark trade arrangement."
The core of the deal involves China agreeing to reduce tariffs on certain Canadian canola imports. In exchange, Canada will permit a small but growing number of Chinese-made electric vehicles to enter the Canadian market at a preferential tariff rate.
Premier Ford, in a post on the social media platform X, condemned the agreement as dangerously one-sided. He warned it would open the door to "a flood of cheap made-in-China electric vehicles" without securing guaranteed, immediate investments in Canada's economy or its critical auto supply chain.
Risk to U.S. Market Access and Jobs
Ford escalated his criticism by highlighting a potentially devastating secondary consequence. "By lowering tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles this lopsided deal risks closing the door on Canadian automakers to the American market," he wrote.
He identified the United States as Canada's largest export destination for vehicles and argued the deal could provoke American trade retaliation, hurt the economy, and lead to significant job losses in Ontario's industrial heartland.
This concern is echoed by some trade analysts, who note the deal could anger U.S. President Donald Trump. The U.S. previously imposed 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs to shield its domestic industry from cheaper, state-subsidized competition, a move Canada initially matched.
Ford's Demands for Federal Action
In response to the deal, the Ontario Premier issued a series of direct demands to the Carney government. He called for urgent steps to support Ontario's auto sector and restore its competitiveness.
Ford's demands include:
- Ending the federal electric vehicle mandate.
- Harmonizing regulations with key trading partners.
- Scrapping federal fees that he claims add thousands to vehicle production costs and deter investment.
"Prime Minister Carney and the federal government need to urgently step up and support Ontario’s auto sector," Ford stated emphatically.
The public clash between the Prime Minister and the Premier of Ontario sets the stage for a significant political and economic debate over Canada's trade strategy, the future of its automotive industry, and its relationship with both China and the United States.
