Premier Scott Moe is expected to address U.S. tariffs on Thursday morning. (Lara Fominoff/650 CKOM)

By CKOM

"urgent engagement"

Scott Moe calls for action on Chinese canola tariffs ahead of federal election

Mar 13, 2025 | 12:02 PM

Saskatchewan’s premier says the federal government needs to take action to address tariffs from China on Canadian canola ahead of the upcoming election.

Premier Scott Moe held a news conference on Thursday morning in Saskatoon, outlining the threats the province faces due to tariffs from both China and the United States.

Chinese tariffs on canola oil, peas, pork and seafood are expected to kick on on March 20 in response to Canadian tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, causing uncertainty for many Saskatchewan farmers.

The premier called for “urgent engagement” from Ottawa, and emphasized that the industry and Saskatchewan jobs are under threat.

“This needs to happen before any election call,” Moe said.

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“The provincial government also has a role to play,” Moe added. “We need to advocate and to educate as to what the impacts of these ill-conceived decisions are.”

Moe said the electric vehicle tariffs are a tax on vehicles “that literally no one is buying in Canada,” and emphasized his call for the federal government to get back to the table and work out a deal that will see the tariffs dropped.

“They need to engage with the Chinese government to show a signal that they are ready to negotiate,” he said.

Moe, meanwhile, has made multiple trips to Washington. D.C. in an effort to head off the tariffs, and took steps to strengthen the border and curb the trafficking of fentanyl in response to concerns raised by U.S. President Donald Trump to justify his suite of tariffs.

The president’s 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports took effect this week despite those efforts, and Moe said the province is developing a plan to support steelworkers whose livelihoods may be at risk as a result.

“We have been actively engaged with numerous employers in (the steel) industry on how we can work together to support the work that they do in maybe a little bit different and innovative ways than what we’ve seen before,” Moe said.

In a statement issued on Thursday morning, Moe said the province will continue to seek a diplomatic resolution to the tariffs, while also seeking new opportunities for trade elsewhere in the world.

“We know these tariffs will decrease the competitiveness of Saskatchewan products, negatively impacting investment and the provincial economy,” Moe said.

“Our companies bear the brunt of these impacts, which is why I am committed to standing up for Saskatchewan’s interests, focusing on calm and sensible solutions. These tariffs, particularly from China, will disproportionately impact Saskatchewan and we urge the federal government to continue working with provinces to create an economically sound and reasoned response.”

The United States and China are Saskatchewan’s two largest export markets, with roughly $40 billion in goods crossing the southern border every year. Saskatchewan’s agri-food exports to China were valued at $3.7 billion last year.

–with files from The Canadian Press