China suspends some canola, seafood tariffs on Canada after Carney visit

By: Aaron Sousa and Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press Posted: 1:15 PM CST Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 Last Modified: 4:17 PM CST Friday, Feb. 27, 2026

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China's government announced Friday it would suspend some tariffs on Canadian agricultural goods and seafood following a recent visit by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

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China's government announced Friday it would suspend some tariffs on Canadian agricultural goods and seafood following a recent visit by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

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China’s government announced Friday it would suspend some tariffs on Canadian agricultural goods and seafood following a recent visit by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

The country’s finance ministry said in a statement that 100 per cent tariffs on canola meal and peas, and a 25 per cent levy on lobsters and crabs, won’t be imposed.

The statement, which made no mention of canola seed tariffs, said the changes would take effect March 1 and continue through to the end of 2026.

Canola plants bloom in a pasture on a farm near Cremona, Alta., Friday, July 18, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh

Carney met earlier this year with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and the leaders inked a deal on electric vehicles and canola.

They agreed Canada would import up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles each year at a tariff rate of 6.1 per cent in exchange for lower duties on canola seed.

A statement from the Minister of International Trade’s office said Ottawa expects Beijing to keep its promise of lowering Canadian canola seed tariffs to 15 per cent by March 1.

It also said Canada intends to make good on its end of the bargain by allowing imports of Chinese EVs at a lower tariff rate.

“These commitments are on track as officials work on implementation details,” the statement said. “More information will be available in due course.”

In August, China implemented a 76 per cent duty on canola seed after launching an anti-dumping probe on the crop. Ottawa has said that figure was closer to 84 per cent, when combined with other duties in place.

The anti-dumping investigation is expected to formally end in March.

In January, after Canada made its deal with China, federal Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said a Chinese importer ordered 60,000 metric tonnes of canola seed.

The Saskatchewan government said in a statement Friday it’s pleased with the announcement and would continue efforts to diversify trading partners.

Premier Scott Moe, who accompanied Carney to Beijing, has trumpeted the new trade deal as good news and said it should allow exports of the crop and other agricultural goods to China to return to normal.

Moe also has said there’s more work to do to get Chinese duties removed from Canadian canola oil and pork.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said canola is huge for his province but that more needs to be done on the pork side.

“We’re going to keep working with the federal government and keep pushing forward and hopefully, we see some positive news on the pork side as well,” he told reporters Friday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2026.

— With files from Brittany Hobson in Winnipeg