Canada is adding tariffs to imports of Chinese EVs, steel and aluminum

livemint.com:

OTTAWA : Canada will slap hefty tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, steel and aluminum, positioning itself with allies including the U.S. to protect domestic manufacturing. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Monday unveiled a range of measures she said are aimed at leveling the playing field for Canada’s EV industry and steel and aluminum producers to protect them from unfair competition from Chinese companies.

From October, Canada will implement a 100% surtax on all Chinese made EVs, including electric and certain hybrid passenger cars, trucks, buses and delivery vans. The impost will be in addition to a “most-favored nation" tariff of 6.1% that is already applied to Chinese-produced EVs imported into Canada. The government also intends to apply a 25% surtax on imports of steel and aluminum products from China beginning Oct.

15, which Freeland said seeks to protect Canadian workers and prevent Chinese goods from being diverted through Canada to other trading partners. The two tariffs match measures introduced by the Biden administration in May, lifting the tariff on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products to 25% from up to 7.5% and the levy on electric vehicles to 100% from 25%. Other jurisdictions have followed, though not to the same degree as the U.S.

The European Commission has determined the electric vehicle industry in China benefits from unfair subsidies and in July began applying provisional duties on Chinese-made EVs. Freeland said Canadian workers and critical sectors face an intentional, state-directed policy of overcapacity that undermined the country’s ability to compete in domestic and global markets. “That is why our government is moving forward with decisive action to level the