Honda’s decision to stall a $15 billion electric vehicle supply chain in Ontario has been described by Unifor as the latest blow to Canadian auto workers amid a trade war with the United States in which the union sees the Trump administration escalating attacks on the EV sector.
Unifor said Honda delayed plans to build an EV supply chain in Ontario for around two years. In a news release, they said the original plan from Honda that was revealed in 2024 promised four new manufacturing facilities and up to 240,000 EVs built every year. This includes a new EV assembly plant and battery production facilities in Alliston.
“Trump’s rollback of EV policies and his punishing tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles are killing jobs week after week and threatening the future of our industry,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne in a statement. “This isn’t about fair trade — it’s economic sabotage.”
She said the U.S. policy shifts are meant to bleed Canadian operations and push production south of the border, back to the U.S. “Workers, families, and entire communities are paying the price.”
Unifor said it does not represent workers at the Honda Alliston plant. It does, however, represent members in the plant’s supply chain. The union has been urging the federal government to respond to U.S. tariffs with “bold action” to defend Canadian auto manufacturing. This includes strong investment, job protections, and a clear strategy to support the EV transition.
“Unifor is also calling on the federal government to revoke tariff-free privileges to any automakers in Canada if promised investment is cancelled or shifted to the United States,” they said.
