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The federal government hasn’t yet secured a permanent removal of tariffs on Canadian products like canola, in part because of ongoing negotiations with Beijing over Chinese steel and aluminum.<\/p>\n
Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald, in response to a reporter’s question, said this was among the reasons China has agreed to relax its tariff on some Canadian agri-goods only until the end of this year.<\/p>\n
Canada levies tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminum. In Ottawa’s view, the Chinese government engages in unfair trading practices that include pervasive subsidization of its metal industries to produce low prices, which distort global trade.<\/p>\n
MacDonald, back from the government’s recent visit to China, told reporters on Tuesday that both Ottawa and Beijing are working on “remissions relative to steel.” The Canadian government offers remissions or relief from tariffs it places on certain Chinese steel and aluminum products that typically are unavailable or in short supply in Canada.<\/p>\n
Ottawa announced that Canada is extending those remissions measures until the end of 2026.<\/p>\n
“So we’ve got some work to do on that,” MacDonald said.<\/p>\n
When pressed for further details, the minister said, “On steel and aluminum, we need to further identify the situation with China and the federal Canadian government to ensure that we’re meeting their demands and they’re meeting our demands.”<\/p>\n
MacDonald’s office sent CBC News a followup statement emphasizing that the sticking point wasn’t just steel and aluminum but that “there are still a number of issues and concerns on both sides that need to be worked through.”<\/p>\n
It did not mention what those other issues are.<\/p>\n
‘We were leaning on an open door’: minister<\/p>\n
On Friday, the Liberal government reached a deal with Beijing to allow tens of thousands of Chinese electric vehicles into the domestic market in exchange for China lowering duties on Canadian canola products.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mark Carney described this as a “preliminary but landmark” agreement. Ottawa expects Beijing to drop canola seed duties from 84 to 15 per cent by March 1. Tariffs on canola meal, lobsters, peas and crabs will be lifted on March 1 until the end of this year.<\/p>\n
Canola seed is the raw product from which canola oil is made, whereas canola meal is the byproduct that is often used as feed for animals.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1769029090_30_default.jpg\")
Prime Minister Mark Carney, back left, and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, back right, look on as MacDonald, front left, and Sun Meijun, China’s minister of the general administration of customs, take part in a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing on Jan. 15. (Sean Kilpatrick\/The Canadian Press)<\/p>\n