Canada is planning to reserve preferential access to its domestic auto market for foreign automakers who build vehicles in this country under a new auto policy to be released in February, a senior Canadian official said Saturday.

The official also said Canada gave advance notice to the United States of its Jan. 16 decision to part with Washington and slash tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles that were imposed in tandem with the Americans in 2024.

The Globe and Mail is not naming the official because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the unreleased auto policy.

Under Ottawa’s new auto policy, foreign companies that make cars in Canada will have more favourable access to the Canadian market then those that choose to import cars assembled outside the country, the official said.