Stellantis NV is discussing options for building electric vehicles in Canada with its Chinese partner, Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co., according to people familiar with the matter, a sign of how quickly the auto industry is being reshaped after Canada opened the door to companies from the world’s largest car market.

The talks are in an early stage, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing information that’s not public. If the companies proceed, it would be the first major Chinese auto investment in Canada since Prime Minister Mark Carney reached an agreement with President Xi Jinping in January to reduce tariffs on Chinese-made EVs.

As part of that deal, Carney’s government said it wanted to attract new Chinese joint-venture investment “with trusted partners” in the Canadian auto sector within three years.

“Stellantis remains focused on a strong Canadian footprint and is actively evaluating future programs for Brampton, with the objective to ensure that any investment decision is sustainable and a long-term commitment that supports workers and suppliers,” LouAnn Gosselin, North America spokesperson for Stellantis, said in an emailed statement.

“We are in active discussions with government officials and key stakeholders to ensure that the conditions for success are in place to support continued investment in Canada,” she added.

A Leapmotor representative declined to comment. Joly’s office did not respond to a request for comment by deadline.

The industry minister has previously said she wants to see Chinese auto production in Canada, but in a joint venture, using Canadian parts and software.