Premier Doug Ford will meet with the federal government next week to discuss a new auto strategy to protect local workers after it made a deal with China last week.
Canada agreed to allow the importation of up to 49,000 electric vehicles made in China at a tariff of 6.1 per cent.
Premier Doug Ford said there needs to be something in the new auto strategy that evens the playing field for Canadian manufacturing.
"We're going to sit down, [Minister Melanie Joly] will come by on Monday and we'll have a conversation on how the federal government plans to support our workers," said Ford. "This is all about our workers. This is all about the 500,000 families that are relying on the auto sector."
Ford was joined by Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association President Flavio Volpe, Unifor National President Lana Payne, and Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association President and CEO Brian Kingston President at Queen's Park on Wednesday.
Volpe said those 49,000 vehicles represents about one shift at an Ontario automotive plant. A loss of that shift would result in the loss of 1,000 direct jobs and 5,000 jobs at feeder plants.
"We're looking for something in that auto strategy that recalibrates given the concession of 3 per cent of the market that we made right now to non-market players that we typically weren't against," said Volpe.
Payne is also looking for support for companies that build and assemble vehicles in Canada.
"Auto-makers that build and assemble vehicles and support jobs in Canada should be rewarded, as long as they live up to their commitments to the workers of Canada," said Payne. "But the free ride has to end for companies that enjoy full access to our markets while investing nothing."
Ford is encouraging Canadian consumers to purchase from companies that support Canadian workers.
"Boycott the Chinese EV vehicles. Support companies that are building vehicles here. It's as simple as that. This is the team Canada approach, we have to stick together," said Ford.
