Honda Canada has confirmed its Alliston, Ont., facility will continue operating at full capacity for the foreseeable future, though Unifor warns that Canadian auto jobs remain vulnerable to pressures from U.S. tariffs.
“Automakers making contingency plans around production and investment is exactly what Unifor has warned about,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Companies are making decisions based on these tariffs that will have immediate and long-term consequences for Canadian auto workers.”
Honda’s statement came in response to reports suggesting the company was considering shifting production from Canada to the United States to avoid U.S. tariffs.
The union represents approximately 1,000 members at auto parts suppliers to the Alliston plants. While Honda’s assembly workers in Canada are non-unionized, Unifor continues to advocate for their job security.
“Unifor is fighting for all auto workers in Canada. Our industry is deeply interconnected. Supply chain and auto plant jobs support Canadian workers, their families and their communities,” Payne said.
Long-term security remains uncertain
Despite Honda’s current commitment, Unifor cautions that production decisions ultimately rest with the company’s global headquarters and could change.
“As Canada’s auto union, from our experience of dealing with automakers and the industry, we understand better than anyone that assurances from automakers are one thing, but we need a carrot-and-stick approach to ensure accountability,” said Payne.
The union has called for the federal government to implement tailored counter-tariff measures, including tariff exemptions only for automakers maintaining Canadian production and immediate penalties for companies that shift jobs to the U.S.
Industry already feeling impacts
The broader instability in the North American auto sector is already affecting Canadian workers. Ingersoll’s CAMI Assembly Plant faces a loss of 500 jobs in the coming weeks.
“We are already seeing the fallout from Trump’s chaotic policies,” said Payne. “Canada must respond forcefully and strategically to protect our auto sector and its workers.”
Unifor represents 320,000 workers across Canada’s private sector.
