Canada's Chinese EV imports remain stalled with over 33,000 quota spots unused

Canada’s Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports have barely moved since September, with the latest government figures showing no new activity as Tesla has paused Model 3 Premium orders over import restrictions.

According to Global Affairs Canada’s latest quota utilization report, updated on Friday afternoon, just 328 vehicles have been recorded since the second import period opened on September 1.

All 328 were recorded in September, with October still showing zero imports under the quota. The figures are unchanged from the government’s previous update on October 9.

The lack of movement leaves 33,069 import spots available out of Canada’s annual quota of 49,000 vehicles, which runs from March 1, 2026, through February 28, 2027.

During the first six-month period, Canada recorded 15,603 vehicles under the quota, including 5,982 in July and another 5,490 in August.

However, activity has slowed considerably since September, despite unused allocations from the first period being carried forward into the second.

The latest figures come after Tesla stopped accepting new orders for the China-built Model 3 Premium Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) in Canada on October 12, citing an exhausted import allocation.

That decision raised questions about how Tesla could be unable to import more vehicles while tens of thousands of spots remained available nationwide.

In response to questions from Drive Tesla, Global Affairs Canada said it was consulting with interested companies about the remaining quota but declined to disclose company-specific import information.

Under the government’s official import rules, permits are generally issued on a first-come, first-served basis, although the department can reserve portions of the quota to ensure ‘equitable access’ for eligible automakers.

The lack of activity comes as several Chinese automakers are still months away from entering the Canadian market. Earlier this month, Geely officially confirmed that its first vehicles will arrive in 2027, with the company already working to establish a nationwide sales and service network.

Meanwhile, Chery recently pushed back its Canadian launch plans to early 2027, after previously targeting late 2026 for its Omoda and Jaecoo brands. BYD is also preparing to enter Canada, having started recruiting Canadian executives and exploring plans for a dealership network. However, BYD has not announced an official launch date.

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