BYD’s Canadian Retail Plans Might Include 20 Dealerships [Update]

Correction Notice: False Reports on BYD Executive Statements

A previous story published regarding Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD was partially based on inaccurate information originating from an imposter account on X. The executive statements attributed to Stella Li, the specific vehicle launch phases, and the $25,000 Seagull pricing details were entirely fabricated by a parody social media account. We regret the error. Our editorial team has updated the text below with verified industry data to ensure full accuracy.

BYD confirmed to Global News that it has not announced, approved, or finalized any plans to introduce passenger vehicles to the Canadian market, open upwards of 20 dealerships, or launch specific vehicle models.

BYD Moves Forward With Canadian Retail Plans to Open 20 Dealerships

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is aggressively laying the groundwork for a massive entry into the Canadian automotive market. Despite recent false reports online stemming from a social media imposter account that fabricated statements from company executives and listed unconfirmed vehicle pricing, the core story of BYD’s Canadian network expansion is very real.

Farid Ahmad, chief executive officer of Dealer Solutions Mergers & Acquisitions in Markham, Ontario, confirmed that his consultancy is already in active talks with three separate locations to secure future BYD storefronts. According to Ahmad, the manufacturer’s goal is to establish 20 Canadian dealerships within its first year of operation.

The strategy focuses on hitting the ground running in major urban hubs, starting in the Greater Toronto Area, followed closely by Vancouver, Montreal, and Calgary.

“They’ve asked us to help them find as many of the 20 that they possibly can, but they’re out there doing that themselves, as well,” Ahmad said in a March interview with the Globe and Mail. “We have been engaged with a number of Chinese manufacturers that are looking to establish their dealer network here in Canada.”

Ahmad also noted that BYD isn’t the only major player looking across the Pacific, revealing that China’s Chery Automobile Co. is also set to join the Canadian market.

This wave of incoming competition follows a major EV trade deal that slashed Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese electric vehicles down to 6.1 per cent, though the agreement comes with a hard cap of 49,000 imports for 2026. In exchange, Beijing lifted its heavy tariffs on Canadian canola seed, reopening a crucial $4-billion market for agricultural exporters.

The federal agreement has already transformed the local landscape, allowing brands like Tesla to import vehicles from its Shanghai Gigafactory, which recently led to price drops for the Model 3 in Canada.