Reference News Network, February 20 report: According to Bloomberg.com on February 16, as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reduced the import tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, a new public opinion survey shows that Canadians' acceptance of purchasing Chinese electric vehicles has significantly increased.

A latest public opinion survey commissioned by Bloomberg News and conducted by Nanos Research found that over half of Canadian respondents (53%) said that knowing a certain electric vehicle was made in China would not affect their purchase decision.

Another 15% of respondents said that the Chinese origin of the car made them more likely to buy it, while 28% said it would make them less likely to buy it.

The survey results show a significant change compared to 2024. At that time, 61% of Canadian respondents said they were unlikely to buy Chinese electric vehicles, and only 25% said it would not affect their decision. At that time, only 9% of respondents said they would be more likely to buy the product if it was made in China.

The shift in Canadians' attitude toward Chinese manufacturers occurred one year after the United States implemented its tariff policy, and President Trump had frequently threatened to impose more tariffs. Canada is the largest export market for American-made cars.

In 2024, during the tenure of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada aligned with the United States and imposed a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, effectively blocking their entry into the Canadian market.

But during his visit to Beijing this year, Carney changed this policy, announcing that 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles would be allowed to enter Canada each year at much lower tariffs.

Although the initial import quotas may be filled by high-priced models already familiar to Canadians, such as Tesla models produced in Chinese factories, the Carney government hopes that cheaper electric vehicles will gradually enter the Canadian market. The government stated that there is a clause in the agreement with China that part of the quota will be reserved for electric vehicles priced at 35,000 Canadian dollars (1 Canadian dollar is approximately 5 Chinese yuan - note from this site) or below.

The electric vehicle agreement reached with China has been opposed by American automobile manufacturers and the Ontario provincial government, which has multiple car assembly plants. The province's premier, Doug Ford, expressed concerns about security.

Farukh Kotari, head of the manufacturing division at Deloitte Canada, said, "I think the arrival of companies like BYD (which are entering the Canadian market for the first time) will definitely create a sensation."

The Canadian government has also recently announced a plan to provide incentives to consumers who buy electric vehicles - up to 5,000 Canadian dollars per vehicle. The government also promised to establish new emission standards for the industry.

Additionally, the government hopes that China will invest in Canada's automotive manufacturing industry. In response to Trump's tariff policies, the industry is struggling.

Melanie Joly, Canada's Minister of Industry, said the goal is to have a Chinese company partner with a Canadian company to form a joint venture and open an assembly plant.

Joly said, "We believe that these excellent Canadian leading enterprises can cooperate with Chinese electric vehicle companies to produce a Sino-Canadian cooperative car and export it around the world." (Translated by Tu Qi)

Original: toutiao.com/article/7608805269842100799/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author themselves.