Ottawa, ON – Under the Liberals, Canada’s auto sector has been in decline, building fewer vehicles, selling fewer Canadian cars and providing paycheques to fewer workers. That’s why Conservatives introduced an opposition motion to build up our proud automotive industry, making us stronger at home so we have unbreakable leverage abroad.

“Canada’s auto workers are among the best in the world and deserve a concrete plan to tackle this crisis,” said Kyle Seeback, Conservative Shadow Minister for Labour. “More than 600,000 people nationwide – directly or indirectly – make a living through auto manufacturing. Now, these jobs are at risk.”

After over ten years of Liberals, the results are clear: auto production has been cut nearly in half since 2015, while Carney’s failure to get a deal by July of last year, as he promised Canadians, has cost $2 billion in tariffs on Canadian autos. That means thousands of workers out of their jobs at GM CAMI in Ingersoll, GM in Oshawa, Stellantis in Brampton and Paccar in Sainte-Thérèse. 

It’s not for lack of demand: Canadians bought 1.9 million new vehicles last year. But we only built 1.2 million, with 90 per cent of vehicles sold in Canada being imported and half coming from the United States. Under Carney and his handpicked Finance Minister, Canadian jobs and investment flee south while they try to sell the illusion that Canada can replace an integrated North American automarket with EV sales overseas. 

Canada can’t afford the Liberals’ plan that would end the auto industry. Conservatives are fighting to restore our nation’s auto production with a motion calling on the Liberals to adopt the Conservative plan for a tariff-free auto pact with the United States – the destination of over 90 per cent of Canadian-made vehicles. If adopted, the motion would call on the government to secure tariff-free access to the US market, and to save and expand Canada’s auto industry by:

  • making it easier to build and buy Canadian by removing the GST on all Canadian-made vehicles, ending counterproductive Liberal EV mandates and rebates, and harmonizing tailpipe emissions reductions with our North American partners;
  • bringing home production through performance by implementing a rule where for every car produced in Canada, the same manufacturer would get to sell a car in Canada, duty-free, from a CUSMA partner, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, similar to the 1965 Canada-US Auto Pact;
  • protecting North American supply chains by maintaining the minimum 75% North American content and existing CUSMA rules of origin;
  • developing automotive security and technology by creating a harmonized North American cybersecurity and data standard, while banning vehicles using software connected to China or Russia; and
  • standing firm against unfair trade by aligning with North American partners on Chinese tariffs if they accept this plan, for maximum leverage in CUSMA renegotiations.

Since it was announced by Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, the Conservative auto plan has been praised by President Jeff Gray of Unifor Local 222 as “a common sense plan to protect the livelihood of thousands of Ontario auto sector workers…that restores past production levels and secures a long-term future.” Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association President & CEO, Brian Kingston, confirmed that the Conservatives’ plan aims “to make it more attractive to build cars in Canada.” 

“This is a practical, achievable plan to double Canada’s auto production and restore the good-paying jobs that have been lost,” concluded Seeback. “The Liberals have an opportunity to show their support for this motion and the jobs it protects.”

Today’s opposition motion is offering real solutions to strengthen an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of Canadian families. Conservatives will always stand up for Canadian workers, defend their jobs and build a resilient auto sector so that Canada is strong at home and unbreakable abroad.