Trade war continues as B.C. braces for crushing Chinese tariffs

People in B.C.s’ farming and fishing sectors are bracing for tariffs from China.

British Columbia is bracing for retaliatory tariffs, but this time not from the United States.

China announced last week that it will apply a 100 per cent tariff to just over $1 billion of Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes and pea imports, and a 25 per cent duty on $1.6 billion worth of Canadian aquatic products and pork.

Fishermen and provincial fishing associations told CTV news on Monday that the impact will be widespread as some are selling more than 90 per cent of their catch to China.

“In 2023, we had $223 million worth of crab exported, and 90 per cent of that went to China,” said Duncan Cameron, the director of BC Crab Fishermen’s Association.

“It’s by far and away our biggest export market and they’ve been a reliable trading partner for us.”

Cameron says they have a good relationship with their overseas partner and are hopeful the Canadian Government can step in and resolve tension before the tariffs potentially decimate their business.

China announced the retaliatory tariff in response to Canadian duties imposed last fall against Chinese-made electric vehicles, steel and aluminum. The Chinese tariffs would match the 100 per cent and 25 per cent import duties.

Canola oil is also being targeted by the Chinese with a 100 per cent tariff.

The plant is grown in parts of B.C. and across the Canadian prairies and the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) believes the tariffs will have detrimental impacts not only on the farmers but on everyone involved.

“It will impact the entire industry or what we call the entire canola value chain, starting at the farm gate and moving forward from there,” said Chris Davison, the president of the CCC.

Davison explained that China is a top market for Canadian canola that represents close to $5 billion in export value.

On Monday, Premier David Eby addressed the tariff situation between China, Canada and the United States and the impact it will have on British Columbians.

The BC NDP leader told reporters that the province will work with the Government of Canada to support individual businesses and farmers through Ottawa’s employment insurance program for workers.

He suggested that Victoria will also be looking at supports for business to support them to get to other markets other than China and the United States amid a trade war.

With files from Reuters