Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he would impose big new import taxes on a host of Chinese-made goods including electric cars, solar panels and semiconductors if his party wins the next election.

Poilievre made the announcement in Hamilton, standing in front of a few dozen employees at the city's Stelco steel plant.

Steel is among the products Poilievre says requires new import tariffs as he accuses China of breaching labour and environment standards to "crush" Canadian industry.

Poilievre says the federal Liberals are refusing to follow the lead of U.S. President Joe Biden and protect Canada's interests with higher tariffs on Chinese products.

However in late June Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland launched the required consultation process to impose new tariffs on Chinese-made EVs and EV-supply chain materials and products.

Currently the only Chinese-made EVs entering Canada are made by the American giant Tesla, but China's biggest EV manufacturer BYD recently established a corporate presence in this country and intends to launch products here.