Alberta canola farmers hopeful for deal on tariffs as PM Carney visits China
Posted January 15, 2026 6:47 pm.
As Prime Minister Mark Carney meets with Chinese officials this week, canola farmers across Alberta are watching closely, hoping the visit could lead to a breakthrough on steep Chinese tariffs that have choked off one of their most important export markets.
China imposed duties of nearly 76 per cent on Canadian canola seed last year, along with a 100 per cent levy on canola oil, meal, and peas. The move effectively halted exports to what had been Canada’s second‑largest market after the United States.
For producers like Jeff Frost, a grain farmer and Region 8 director for Alberta Canola, the impact has been devastating.
“I’m really hoping to get these tariffs removed and reopen that market,” Frost said. He estimates the industry has lost roughly $2 billion since the tariffs were introduced. “I can say personally, with my farm, it’s north of $100,000.”
The tariffs were widely viewed as retaliation for Canada’s 100 per cent levy on Chinese‑made electric vehicles in 2024. Since then, the political debate has intensified. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has urged Carney not to reverse the EV tariff, while prairie premiers have pushed for flexibility if it means relief for canola producers.
In a statement to CityNews, the Alberta government said it remains “committed to pursuing opportunities to build relationships to improve trade relations with China.”
Lori Williams, an associate professor of policy studies at Mount Royal University, cautions that any progress is likely to be gradual.
“Movement in any direction with respect to China could take a little while,” she said. “What’s more likely is the beginning of negotiations. There’s going to be a bit of tacking back and forth between China, checking in with the premiers.”
For farmers, the wait is frustrating.
“Us farmers on the ground, there’s nothing we can do to make this go away except tell the government, ‘Hey, you put us in this mess, so you guys figure this out to get us out of this mess,’” Frost said.
