'Canada needs to respond swiftly and strategically to halt Trump’s attempt to steal jobs'
Automobile manufacturer Stellantis is laying off thousands of workers in Canada following the U.S. government’s decision to impose tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles.
“Unifor warned that U.S. tariffs would hurt auto workers almost immediately and in this case the layoffs were announced before the auto tariff even came into effect,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne.
“[President Donald] Trump is about to learn how interconnected the North American production system is the hard way, with auto workers paying the price for that lesson.”
Recently, the employer told Unifor Local 444 members that the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant will be on a two-week shutdown starting April 7, 2025. Additional schedule changes are expected in the coming weeks.
A total of 6,000 members have gotten layoff notices so far, including at the assembly plant, and at parts manufacturers which supply it, according to a report from the Toronto Star.
The auto tariff on all non-U.S. content in Canadian-made vehicles commenced Wednesday.
Unifor has called for increased supports for workers impacted by the trade war and for strong retaliatory action against the U.S.
“The U.S. is targeting Canada’s economy sector by sector, starting with steel, aluminium and auto,” added Payne. “Canada needs to respond swiftly and strategically to halt Trump’s attempt to steal jobs and pick off industries one-by-one.”
On Thursday, Canada responded in kind, announcing a counter-tariff on vehicles produced in the U.S., according to the Toronto Star.
A number of companies have started laying off workers as Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum products, and many more are expected to lose jobs, according to a report.
The US tariffs could put more than one million workers at risk across critical sectors—including steel, aluminium, forestry, and public services—according to the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC).
More than one million Canadians could lose their jobs if the U.S. tariffs are imposed for over a year, according to one expert.
Here’s how Canadian political parties plan to address US tariffs.
