In the First Ministers’ Meeting held in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on June 2, 2025, the first time in over 40 years that this meeting has taken place in Saskatchewan, Prime Minister Carney reiterated his government’s commitment to work with urgency, as a top priority, to remove the tariffs imposed by China on agriculture and seafood products. This was welcome news to Premier Scott Moe and Premier Wab Kinew, the Premiers of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, respectively. Undoubtedly, with crops planted and an eye towards harvest, the news that Ottawa is prioritizing agriculture and the removal of tariffs is likely a relief among the agriculture community. In the coming months, we can expect they will be watching the Prime Minister and his administration’s actions closely in relation to this commitment.
Addressing Chinese tariffs a step forward in a turbulent trade year
Repairing the import relationship with China will represent a positive step forward for Canadian farmers, who in recent months have been faced with the economic burden of tariffs on their products exported to China and the ongoing uncertainty of whether tariffs will be imposed on their exports into the United States.
For Canadian farmers, China alone represented exports of $920.9 million of canola meal and $21 million of canola oil in 2024. For more information on the tariffs imposed by China on canola products, please see our recent article Navigating Uncertain Weather: Canada’s Canola Industry Amid Tariffs from China and the U.S. For exports of pork and peas (both dried and fresh), these products reached $468.6 million and $303.6 million, respectively.
In the coming weeks, the First Ministers’ emphasis on regular and ongoing engagement with China to improve the Canada-China trade relationship will be under scrutiny. Relief from the adverse impact of China’s tariffs on agricultural exports would be a welcome reprieve from the turbulence of an uncertain trade war that has gripped the first half of 2025.
Global agriculture issues a conversation in Alberta
With the G7 Leader’s Summit taking place in Kananaskis, Alberta from June 15–17, 2025, Alberta and Canada will once again find themselves in the global spotlight. Although the agenda for the G7 Leader’s Summit does not include agriculture as a topic for the leaders of France, the U.S., the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Italy and Canada, agriculture will be front of mind in Alberta. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture will be hosting the 2025 Americas Agriculture and Food Security Forum at Olds College in Olds, Alberta on the heels of the global event. The 2025 Americas Agriculture and Food Security Forum, a 250-person invite-only in-person event with an additional 1,000 people able to attend by live-stream, will feature pertinent discussions on agriculture-related topics, including ag tech, science and innovation in the industry and food security. More information on the event can be found here.
For assistance with the ongoing changing tariff landscape, please contact the authors of this article, a member of our agribusiness and food group or visit the Legal Beacon resource centre to stay up to date on trade-related issues.
Note: This article is of a general nature only and is not exhaustive of all possible legal rights or remedies. In addition, laws may change over time and should be interpreted only in the context of particular circumstances such that these materials are not intended to be relied upon or taken as legal advice or opinion. Readers should consult a legal professional for specific advice in any particular situation.
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