(Nanaimo) Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Tuesday the start of the 30-day consultation period required to impose tariffs on more energy products from China.
The consultation follows a decision in August to increase tariffs on electric vehicles made in China from 6% to 106%, effective March 1.er October. A 25% surcharge will also be applied on October 15 to certain steel and aluminum products manufactured in China.
Minister Freeland clarified Tuesday that a 30-day review of the Customs Tariff Act The consultation now opened to consider the need for a surcharge on critical mineral products, batteries and battery parts, solar energy products and semiconductors. The consultation also aims to determine the dates on which these possible measures would come into force.
If tariffs were imposed, Canada would align with the United States, which announced plans to raise tariffs on similar items last spring.
China filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization last week over Canadian tariffs on electric vehicles, and Beijing is launching its own anti-dumping investigation into imports of Canadian canola.