Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the federal government’s deal to lower tariff rates for Chinese-made electric vehicles is a lopsided agreement that will hurt Canadian workers and called on Prime Minister Mark Carney to do more to support the provincial auto sector.

The deal, announced by Mr. Carney on Friday in Beijing, will allow nearly 50,000 Chinese-made electric vehicles into Canada at a low tariff rate in return for significant reductions in Beijing’s levies on canola seed and a promised elimination of its tariffs on a host of other products.

Western Premiers, such as Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe who accompanied Mr. Carney to China, have been asking the Prime Minister to lift the EV tariffs in exchange for relief for the canola and agricultural sectors. Mr. Moe praised the deal on Friday as “very good news” for his province.