Majority support cutting Chinese EV tariffs if it helps canola trade, survey shows

A majority of Canadians would support reducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles if it meant better access for canola exports, according to new polling.

The Angus Reid Institute reports that 57 per cent of Canadians favour lowering tariffs on Chinese-made EVs in exchange for easing restrictions on canola. Roughly one-quarter say Canada should keep the tariffs in place, while the rest remain undecided.

The findings come as Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe returned from a trip to China, where he raised the issue of the country’s heavy tariffs on Canadian agricultural products. China currently applies a 76 per cent tariff on canola seed and a 100 per cent tariff on canola oil, meal and peas. The measures are widely viewed as a response to Canadian tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles as well as duties on steel and aluminum.

The debate highlights a trade-off between two sectors backed by different regions and policies. Canola exports, valued at $14.5 billion in 2024, are central to the economies of Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. At the same time, the electric vehicle industry has received billions in federal investment as Ottawa promotes it as a strategic priority.

Survey results show support for easing EV tariffs cuts across partisan and regional lines, suggesting many Canadians see agricultural access as the more immediate concern.

The survey found Liberal supporters were very likely to back reducing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in order to secure improved market access for Canadian canola. Credit: the Angus Reid Institute.