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Jun 15, 2026 1:49 PM - Connect Newsroom - Jasmine Singh with files from The Canadian Press
Canada's Industry Minister Mélanie Joly is scheduled to meet senior executives from major Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers BYD, Geely and Chery during a visit to Shanghai this week. Joly is also expected to hold discussions with officials from automotive research firm Shanghai Launch.
According to information released about the visit, the meetings are aimed at exploring opportunities to attract foreign investment into Canada's automotive sector and support job creation. The discussions will focus on potential areas of cooperation between Canadian and Chinese automotive companies.
The federal Liberal government is seeking to encourage joint ventures between Chinese EV manufacturers and Canadian auto-sector partners. The goal would be to support the production of jointly branded vehicles in Canada, although no agreements have been announced.
Canada's auto industry remains heavily dependent on the United States market, with more than 90 per cent of vehicle exports destined for U.S. buyers. Officials view potential international partnerships as a way to diversify export opportunities and expand access to other global markets for electric vehicles.
