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Canada’s EV market was already in trouble. Tariffs made it worse, Ontario workers say
Bob Pulham recalls the optimism in the air when General Motors began producing electric vans in Ingersoll, Ont., in late 2022.
As the first BrightDrop commercial van rolled off the line at the CAMI Assembly plant, GM executives, union leaders and former prime minister Justin Trudeau touted it as a major milestone for electric vehicle production in Canada.
Pulham, a Unifor representative at the plant, remembers talk of increasing shifts and hiring more people to produce 50,000 such delivery vans annually by 2025.
But the sales never picked up, the plant kept slowing down the production line amid sluggish demand and the optimism slowly faded.
This April, GM announced it would idle the plant for several months and resume production in October with just one shift. Union members say about half of 1,200 workers at the plant will be gone as a result.
“I feel bad for all 600 that are being laid off. It’s a horrible position to be put in,” Pulham said in an interview. “It’s a crazy amount of uncertainty and I think that hurts people.”
The announcement came shortly after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles, but a GM Canada spokesperson said the halt was directly related to lower-than-expected demand for the BrightDrop vans.
Pulham, who began working at the CAMI plant more than three decades ago, said his wife has also been laid off and is now pondering whether to go back to school or search for a new job.
Several other companies, including Honda, Stellantis, Umicore and Ford have also delayed or scrapped their EV projects amid the slow sales growth and the ongoing trade war.
GM Canada said reducing production in Ingersoll was necessary to adjust to market demand and balance inventory.
But workers at the CAMI plant say Trump’s tariffs made things even worse. They’ve experienced the industry’s ups and downs over the decades, but say this challenge is especially difficult at a time of great economic uncertainty.
“There’s a push to build (vehicles) in the U.S., and that has caused a lot of issues over here,” Pulham said. “So, it’s not a good situation.”
Mike Van Boekel, the Unifor Local 88 CAMI plant chairperson, said even though workers knew layoffs were on the horizon, the news was still shocking for many.
“It was terrible,” he said. “I thought we were going to lose a shift. I was worried in the back of my mind … and now it has come true.”
GM’s ambitious plan to be at the “forefront of a big wave” of electric delivery van production didn’t materialize because the timing was not right, Boekel said.
He felt the company was gaining some momentum before the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles. GM had just received an order of a thousand delivery vans from the U.S. grocery chain giant Kroger, he said.
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“So, it looked like we were just getting to go and all of a sudden, the tariffs came on,” he said, adding that CAMI workers will still produce Kroger’s vans when they return to the factory this fall.
Workers aren’t the only ones feeling the pain.
The ripple effects of layoffs are a source of concern for Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie. The CAMI plant, which spans two million square feet, is the largest employer in the southwestern Ontario town of about 14,000 people.
Petrie said Ingersoll expects to receive $1.8 million in municipal taxes from the company this year, which is around 10 per cent of the total levies the town is expected to collect.
“It is devastating because we’re not talking about new employees here, either, these are long serving employees and … they’ve had a tough road going up to that point,” Petrie said in a recent interview at his office.
The federal government under Trudeau set a target of 100 per cent zero-emission sales of light duty vehicles by 2035. Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin indicated this week that mandate won’t be changing.
But that goal seems hard to achieve, Petrie said.
“It’s honest to say that I think everybody may have misunderstood the scale of the problem that we’re facing to do the EV switch,” he said. “I think all of them will admit that it’s been a bigger problem than they once thought.”
Still, he thinks the more than $50 billion in investments that Canada has pledged since 2020 to incentivize the EV supply chain will pay off in the long term.
Some provinces, including Manitoba and Quebec, are offering rebates for electric vehicle purchases. B.C.’s rebate program, which was the longest running in the country, was paused last month. Ontario scrapped its rebate program after Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives won the election in 2018.
The federal government also halted in January its Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles program, which offered up to $5,000 off the cost of a new electric vehicle. Dabrusin said Ottawa intends to bring back consumer rebates for EVs, but doesn’t yet know what they’ll look like.
Zero-emissions vehicles represented only 8.7 per cent of all new vehicle sales in Canada in the first quarter of 2025 — a drop from 16.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, according to data from Statistics Canada.
The sales of EVs and plug-in hybrids had steadily increased from below one per cent in 2017 to 14.6 in 2024, but experts say the growth hasn’t been nearly as fast as many expected.
Dan Park, CEO of online used car retailer Clutch, said EV adoption has been slower in Canada because people normally drive long distances in colder temperatures, which reduces battery life by 20 to 40 per cent and slows down the charging speed.
“Canada is just a fundamentally harder market to have,” he said. “Until technology and battery life is improved to be able to handle colder conditions, I think Canadians will just shy away from it.”
Park said EVs make up only five per cent of Clutch’s inventory, which is tied to consumer demand.
He said consumer rebates and production subsidies “artificially propped up the market,” and provincial and federal governments should instead invest in a stronger charging infrastructure to encourage more Canadians to adopt EVs.
A recent survey by consumer insights firm J.D. Power shows that only 28 per cent of nearly 4,000 respondents said they were “very likely” or “somewhat likely” to consider an EV for their next vehicle purchase, down from 29 per cent last year and 34 per cent in 2023. The survey also found that 75 per cent of new vehicle purchasers aren’t confident Canada can reach its 2035 zero-emission vehicle sales goal.
Manufacturers took note of the lacklustre interest.
Honda Canada announced in May that it’s postponing a $15-billion EV project in Ontario, citing the “unexpected slowdown” in the market. Stellantis is postponing the production of an EV model of 2026 Dodge Charger Daytona R/T at its Windsor, Ont., plant as it assesses the effects of U.S. tariffs. And Ford Motor Co. said it will assemble F-Series Super Duty pickup trucks at its Oakville, Ont., plant beginning in 2026 instead of planned electric vehicle production at the site.
Despite the setbacks, Environment and Climate Change Canada said it will continue to support investments and innovations in the EV supply chain.
Canada’s zero-emissions vehicle sales mandates ensure “Canadians have access to electric vehicles, which offer long-term savings for consumers,” department spokesperson Hermine Landry said in a statement.
“Transportation emissions have declined to levels not seen in decades, demonstrating that we can grow our economy while also fighting climate change,” Landry said. “It is important to remain focused on the fact that the real threat to the Canadian auto industry right now are the unjustified tariffs from the United States.”
Overall, Canadians buy around two million new vehicles annually and the country produces approximately 1.5 million of them, according to Unifor. Autoworkers say the federal government should push for more vehicle production in Canada from manufacturers such as Kia, Hyundai, Mitsubishi and others that don’t have any production footprint in the country, to offset the impact of U.S. tariffs.
“It’d be nice, (if) the government stands up for us and you know says to these big companies, ‘If you want to sell here, then you need to build here as well,’” said Paul Harvey, who works as a framing team leader at CAMI.
Harvey said that although he and his wife will keep their jobs at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, they will both have to work the same hours when production resumes on one shift. With four children at home, that means the couple will need a new child-care plan and increased costs will come with it.
Harvey, who has been an autoworker for 20 years, said it would be “kind of silly” to think that the transition to electric vehicles would happen at the flick of a switch. He said he and his wife remain optimistic about the EV market and that’s why they purchased a Chevy Blazer EV just a few weeks ago.
“We’re committed to moving into the future with the electrified vehicles,” he said.
“I do believe it will get there eventually.”
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Ontario city’s lone public beach shuttered as summer arrives: ‘Safety must always be the priority’
With temperatures expected to be in the 30s this weekend, Windsor’s only public beach will remain off limits for those looking to cool off with a dip.
Last week, city council unanimously voted to close Sandpoint Beach while a coroner’s investigation into the recent drowning of a 15-year-old male is underway.
A spokesperson for the coroner’s office confirmed that it was looking into the boy’s death, however, details of the investigation will not be made public.
“They are released to immediate next of kin only,” the spokesperson noted.
They also said that if there are any recommendations which come out of the inquest, they could be passed along to the city.
It looks like the beach will remain closed through the summer as the investigation will likely last at least six months.
“Each death investigation is unique, but we generally advise that it takes six to nine months to complete a death investigation, depending on the complexity of the case,” the spokesperson said.
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The teen died while swimming on the beach on May 18, becoming the ninth drowning victim in the water since the beach opened to the public in 1980.
“We understand how much Sandpoint Beach means to residents and families, especially during the summer months. However, safety must always be the priority,” Michael Chantler, commissioner of community services, stated in a release.
After council decided to close the beach last week, the city said it would be putting up fencing to close off waterfront access and installing signs to warn visitors of the dangers in the water.
The city said that work is expected to be completed by Tuesday.
“The Parks and Recreation team is moving quickly and with urgency to put safety measures in place to protect the community,” Chantler said.
“We are already on site, developing signage, arranging for additional fencing, and speaking directly with visitors. We want people to know we’re taking this seriously, and we’re doing everything we can right now to prevent further tragedy.”
Temperatures are expected to reach 32 C on Saturday before rising to a high of 34 C on Sunday, according to Environment Canada.
There are other options for area residents to cool off, with splash pads opening last month and a number of indoor pools offering recreational swims.
City outdoor pools are scheduled to open on June 29 in time for the long weekend.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford apologized on Thursday afternoon for comments he made suggesting First Nations leaders “can’t just keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government.”
At Queen’s Park, Ford emerged from his meeting with Anishinabek Nation leaders and said he was sorry for what he said on Wednesday.
“I want to sincerely apologize for my words,” he said. “Not only if it hurt all the chiefs in that room, but all First Nations.”
After he apologized, Ford shook hands with several First Nations leaders, repeating his words. His apology came after comments he made on Wednesday that set off a major backlash from Indigenous leaders.
Speaking at an unrelated event in St. Catharines, the premier said he was “bending over backwards to take care” of First Nations, whom he said he treated “like gold.”
The premier went on to describe a conversation he said he had had with his minister of Indigenous affairs, Greg Rickford.
“Treat them well, give them whatever they want for them to prosper,” Ford said he told Rickford.
“But there’s going to be a point where you can’t just keep coming hat in hand all the time to the government. You’ve got to be able to take care of yourselves.”
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Speaking at Queen’s Park on Thursday, Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige said she felt the apology was “sincere” from Ford.
“We are looking at today as a new day going forward,” she said, adding that First Nations leaders attending the meeting were not “expecting an apology because of how we feel we’ve been treated.”
Ford said the meeting had gone well and described it as “heartfelt.”
The premier’s initial comments on Wednesday were met with fury from First Nations leaders, with some demanding an apology.
Before the meeting, Ontario NDP MPP Sol Mamakwa, who is the only Indigenous member of the legislature, said they were “racist” and the premier should retract them.
“We are not beggars,” he said on Thursday. “Today, I would ask for his apology for those racist comments. I ask not as an individual, not as First Nations, but for the people of Ontario.”
Debassige said the meeting was requested by First Nations leaders and was not specifically about Bill 5, but rather broader treaty rights.
“The premier has corrected himself on the ‘hat in hand’ comment and has committed to working with us as a good treaty partner and has owned what he said,” she said.
The focus on the relationship between Ford and some First Nations was sparked as his government passed legislation designed to speed up mining projects.
The law, the Protect Ontario by Unleashing our Economy Act, or Bill 5, allows for the creation of special economic zones.
Those are areas where environmental, municipal, labour or other laws could be sidestepped entirely by companies selected by Ford’s cabinet.
The law has been met with fierce opposition, particularly from First Nation groups that fear their treaty rights could be at risk and have accused the government of abandoning its duty to consult.
The bill officially became law at the start of the month, as First Nation leaders threatened they could launch a summer of disruptive protests in response to the legislation.
A similar proposed law at the federal level has been met with the same threat.
Ford had previously said the mineral-rich Ring of Fire in northern Ontario would be the first place he designates as a special economic zone. He promised to spend the summer consulting with First Nation leaders.
On Thursday, Debassige said the Anishinabek Nation “remained opposed to Bill 5,” something she said had been repeated to the government.
“The premier has made certain commitments that we’re not going to speak to today,” she said.
“We remain steadfast in supporting those rights, and how our First Nations are going to work with the Crown, and I can share, the premier has committed to continue and having that ongoing dialogue with our rights holders in a respectful way.”
She said the meeting at Queen’s Park on Thursday was “not consultation on Bill 5.” She said it was “an initial meeting” First Nations leaders had requested.
“I agree, I agree,” Ford said.
© 2025 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays’ pitching depth is teetering — which makes it a bad time for one of their most reliable starters to be struggling.
Kevin Gausman allowed seven earned runs over 4 1/3 innings as the Blue Jays fell 9-5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday, denying their sixth sweep of the season.
“I feel like everybody kind of did their job this series and I just didn’t,” Gausman said. “We’re playing really good right now and going for a sweep today and I go out there and do that. So I’m pretty frustrated.”
The 34-year-old gave up seven hits and three walks as his record dropped to 5-6. Manager John Schneider pulled him after he hit Diamondbacks outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., with a pitch to load the bases with one out in the fifth inning.
Both Schneider and Gausman pointed to the righty’s command as the root of his recent struggles.
“When he’s good, he’s on the attack, he’s getting ahead of you and then he’s kind of dominating those 1-1 counts. And that hasn’t been the case,” Schneider said.
Gausman has walked 12 batters in 20 June innings compared to one in 31 innings in May. He’s now allowed 17 earned runs through 20 innings over four starts this month, a rough follow-up to a sterling May in which he went 3-1 with a 2.81 ERA.
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He said strike percentage has been “the story” of his season.
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“June’s been really ugly for me and so I need to take a deep look and figure some things out and get better. I feel like if I can get back to who I am, I think that’s the next step for this team and I hope to be a big part of it and right now I feel like I’m not doing my end,” Gausman said.
Catcher Alejandro Kirk blasted two solo home runs for Toronto (40-34), which had won the first two of the three-game interleague series. Centre fielder Jonatan Clase also added a solo shot.
The Blue Jays sit in the second wild-card position in the American League, one game back of the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Diamondbacks (37-37) climbed to .500 with the win.
Arizona’s Eugenio Suarez and Pavin Smith combined for two home runs and seven RBIs in the victory, with the slugging Suarez — who ended the game a triple away from the cycle — especially proving to be a thorn in Gausman’s side.
“He had a plan going in obviously and I think I kind of fed right into his plan just about every at-bat,” Gausman said.
The Rogers Centre roof opened about 20 minutes before the game, and Schneider mentioned windy conditions — with gusts up to 32 kilometres per hour at first pitch — as a factor in Gausman’s outing.
“I’ve pitched plenty of games windy and I kinda need to make that adjustment,” Gausman said. “My split was moving a lot today, but I just couldn’t make that adjustment to figure out how to throw it for a strike and then how to throw it for a ball.”
Gausman’s next start is likely to come next week against the Cleveland Guardians, whose 277 runs entering Thursday were fourth fewest in the American League.
Meanwhile, the Blue Jays continue to face other questions in their rotation.
After the game, Toronto announced that right-hander Spencer Turnbull would start Friday’s series opener against the Chicago White Sox. The spot would have belonged to Bowden Francis, who was recently placed on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder impingement.
Turnbull, who signed with the Blue Jays in May, has made two relief appearances for the club, allowing seven hits and one earned run in 4.1 innings.
Eric Lauer, who started and pitched five strong innings in a win Wednesday, has bounced between relief, starting and bulk roles with the team but could round out the rotation — along with Gausman, Chris Bassitt and Jose Berrios — for the time being.
Elsewhere, Max Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, made his second rehab start with the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Wednesday. His next game action could come at the major-league level.
Trey Yesavage, the Blue Jays’ first-round pick one year ago, recently moved up to double-A and was tied for the minor-league lead with 96 strikeouts through Wednesday’s action.
But Scherzer, who has pitched three MLB innings this season, and Yesavage, whose next MLB pitch will be his first, remain mysteries to an extent.
And so the urgency for Gausman to regain control of the strike zone and rediscover his May form is apparent.
“(Gausman’s) elite when he’s ahead in counts, and I think just not getting there has been tough for him,” Schneider said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 19, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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