Transport Canada is reminding Canadians that not all electric vehicles entering the country are legal to own or register, as Ottawa moves to allow more Chinese-made EVs into the Canadian market.
The warning comes after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a landmark agreement with China that will allow up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into Canada each year at reduced tariffs, in exchange for China easing duties on Canadian agricultural products, including canola and pulses.
Transport Canada says most vehicles built for markets outside the U.S. and Mexico (including many foreign-market EV's) do not meet Canadian safety standards and cannot be imported. Bringing in a non-compliant vehicle is a criminal offence under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Inadmissible vehicles can be denied entry, seized at the border, and stored or disposed of at the importer’s expense.
Federal officials say consumers should confirm a vehicle’s eligibility before purchasing, particularly as interest grows in lower-cost EV's following the Canada-China trade agreement.
