The mid-year fiscal update presented on Monday showed that Ottawa has decided to apply tariffs to imports of certain solar products and critical minerals from China early in the new year, with levies on semiconductors, permanent magnets, and natural graphite following in 2026.
“These measures will prevent Chinese non-market trade practices from causing unfair and harmful market distortions in Canada and throughout the North American continent,” the update said.
Trudeau’s government has frequently criticized the Chinese government-funded policy of oversupply and over-capacity. He says Canada needs to protect local jobs from cheap Chinese products finding their way into the country.
The government has often used its stand against China as a lever to show US President-elect Donald Trump that Canada is aligned with its biggest trading partner in its stand against Beijing.
Trump has vowed to impose 25%…
