Rift surfaces between Doug Ford and Mark Carney over EV deal with China

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he's "ticked off" at Prime Minister Mark Carney over his deal with China on electric vehicles, and the two have not spoken since. 

Ford said Monday he was disappointed that Carney did not give him a heads-up about the deal before the prime minister's trip to China last week.

"The prime minister knows my number," Ford told reporters. "And I thought we had a good enough relationship that he'd give me a quick text or a little bit of communication. That never happened. That's fine. Like I said, I know where I stand with him."

Carney struck a deal with China last week to allow up to 49,000 electric vehicles to receive a vastly reduced tariff rate of 6.1 per cent as they come into Canada in exchange for dropping tariffs on Canadian canola and some seafood. The prime minister said there is interest in Chinese companies producing "affordable" electric vehicles in Canada, and the deal is "an opportunity" for Ontario.

But Ford said the deal threatens the auto sector in Ontario, which is already facing difficulties under threats from U.S. President Donald Trump, who says he doesn't need cars made in Canada.

Ford said he was "ticked off" at Carney.

"It was anything but a partnership," he told a conference of Ontario's rural municipalities earlier on Monday. "I found out about this deal, and the auto companies found out, by the way, a few hours before it was announced. So much for the partnership."

After Carney became prime minister last spring, he and Ford became fast friends. 

Carney slept over at Ford's cottage in the summer while Ontario hosted all the other premiers for a first ministers' meeting in Huntsville. Ford praised Carney's business acumen and gave him his full support, in contrast to his criticism of Carney's predecessor, Justin Trudeau, in recent years. 

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe joined Carney on his trip to China last week in an effort to deal with the 100 per cent tariff China slapped on canola after Canada placed a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese EVs in lockstep with then-U.S. president Joe Biden. 

China will significantly reduce tariffs on Canadian canola seed and at least temporarily remove tariffs on canola meal in exchange for Ottawa's concessions on EVs.

"Everyone got something except Ontario," Ford said. "All we got is a massive threat of Chinese vehicles that are coming here that are gonna hurt every single auto sector worker."

Ford said he believes Carney got a bad deal with China. 

"He's hurting Ontario," he said.

Ford said the federal government must "step up" by removing its EV mandate altogether – it was recently paused but not scrapped – and harmonizing regulations with trading partners.

Carney is using the EV deal to help spur more investment in Canada, said Ontario Liberal trade critic Stephanie Bowman.

"With our U.S. trading partner threatening Canadian jobs, Ontario jobs, we need to be standing tall and thinking about who else we can be building those trade relationships with," she said. "And certainly China is one of those trading partners that we need to be thinking about."

Ford has no plan for the electric vehicle market, said Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner.

"The premier has no plan to incentivize demand in Ontario," he said. "We need rebates to come back to make EVs affordable for people, and we need to have a procurement strategy to mandate fleet procurements in Ontario to incentivize demand for EVs that are made in Ontario."

Several major electric vehicle projects in Ontario have been delayed in recent years due in part to a slumping North American market and volatility with Trump's trade war, though demand continues to rise globally.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2026.