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Today, the federal government released its long-awaited auto policy, and Unifor is encouraged to see a clear focus on protecting Canada’s auto industry. Just a few months ago, there were real concerns that auto could be sidelined or even sacrificed in a rush to secure an agreement with the U.S., so having a plan on the table matters.
That said, a plan is only a starting point. There’s still work to do and outstanding concerns to address. But having a framework, even an imperfect one, creates an opportunity to push for real outcomes and for the government to be more assertive with automakers to get work back into our plants.
Unifor has been clear and consistent about the foundation of any auto policy: if you want to sell in Canada, you need to build in Canada. The free ride for automakers that profit from our market without investing in Canadian jobs has to end.
Our union has been relentless in advocating with the federal government, the Ontario government, and the Detroit Three to protect good, unionized auto jobs. That includes securing a future for members at the idled plants in Brampton and Ingersoll.
The new federal auto policy contains some positive measures. These include commitments to strengthen tariff remission measures for automakers that maintain production in Canada. Unifor fully intends to take part in federal consultations to ensure these measures actually reward companies that build here and penalize those that don’t.
We also welcome the boost to strategic investment funding, stronger vehicle fuel economy standards, the return of EV purchase incentives, and new investments in charging infrastructure. These measures help counter the damage caused by President Trump’s pullback from EV policy in the U.S.
While it’s positive to see counter-tariffs continue on U.S.-made light-duty vehicles, it’s disappointing that heavy-duty trucks are excluded. That’s a gap Unifor is calling on the federal government to fix immediately.
Finally, the union remains concerned about the recent Canada-China EV arrangement and continues to push for strong safeguards to prevent import surges of China-made vehicles that could threaten Canadian jobs.
This policy is a step but now it needs to be backed up with bold action. Unifor’s auto leadership team will continue to fight for good, unionized auto jobs, meaningful investment in Canadian plants, and real futures for workers and communities that depend on this industry.
In solidarity,
Lana Payne
National President
