China has launched an anti-dumping investigation into Canada’s multibillion-dollar canola imports to the country, a week after Canada imposed 100-per-cent tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. This comes just two years after China lifted its Canadian canola import ban which reportedly cost Canada $2.35 billion. China claims increased canola imports and declining prices suggest dumping, which it argues harms local producers. China has historically been the biggest buyer of Canadian canola seed and was expected to purchase about 70 per cent of Canada’s canola shipments this year, according to Statistics Canada. In 2023, Canada exported $5 billion worth of canola to China. China has now requested talks with Canada at the World Trade Organization on tariffs Ottawa has imposed on its electric vehicles, steel and aluminum goods.
