A Vancouver-based climate think tank is rejecting claims it is tied to Beijing after calling on Ottawa to slash 100% tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles. Blacklock's Reporter says Clean Energy Canada, based at Simon Fraser University, insists it has never received a cent from China despite promoting freer access to Canada’s auto market for Chinese manufacturers.“We are funded pretty much entirely by foundations and only a few individual donors, something like $5,000,” spokesperson Trevor Melanson told MPs on the Commons trade committee. “We certainly don’t receive any funding from China.” He repeated in an interview: “We have never received any money from China.”The group’s latest report, Missing Out, argued that Canada should lower tariffs on Chinese EVs to boost affordability and competition. .“Canada has an affordable electric vehicle problem,” it said, pointing to 21 EV models under $40,000 sold in Europe, including seven from Chinese automakers.That recommendation drew sharp criticism from Conservative MP Adam Chambers, who pressed witnesses on whether the group had financial ties to Beijing. “They have been very adamant that Chinese vehicles come into the Canadian market, but it’s not clear to me. There is no transparency around who funds them,” said Chambers.The group lists donors such as the European Climate Foundation, the Houssian Foundation, the North Family Foundation, and Montréal’s McConnell Foundation, but amounts were not disclosed.Meanwhile, Brian Kingston of the Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association told the committee that 90% of cars built in Canada are shipped to the U.S., not China. .He confirmed Canada’s auto exports are effectively blocked by Beijing’s tariffs and regulations.Chambers said the recommendations would give Chinese companies access to Canadian markets even as Ottawa and Washington maintain 100% tariffs in retaliation against China’s state-subsidized oversupply of EVs. “The government is being asked on behalf of Canadians to effectively allow vehicles from a country that won’t allow our vehicles to go there,” he said.
