On October 21, General Motors announced that it would cease production of the Chevrolet BrightDrop, a model of electric van assembled at the CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, since 2022.

The decision came as a blow to the plant’s 1,200 workers, not to mention Canada’s automotive industry, which has faced similar setbacks from Stellantis, Ford and Honda over the past six months. And just one day after the GM announcement, truck manufacturer Paccar Inc. announced that it had laid off 300 factory workers in Quebec.

Although GM Canada’s president and managing director, Kristian Aquilina, told reporters that the move had “nothing to do with tariffs,” it’s nevertheless part of a pattern that industry observers have been anticipating at least since U.S. President Donald Trump launched his trade war in February.

Prime Minister Mark Carney should be commended for his response to Trump’s economic aggression, having already taken meaningful steps toward reducing Canada’s dependence on the United States. He’s forged agreements with European and other international partners on critical minerals and related sectors and, in doing so, has helped to position Canada as a global leader in the electric-vehicle supply chain.

But we need to do more. Canada needs a robust, integrated EV industry strategy that includes mining, refining, assembly, infrastructure, R&D, regulation and education. Only then can we become the EV powerhouse we have the potential to be.

There’s no question that the Trump administration has been aggressive in its efforts to shift automotive production back to the U.S. Most recently, it announced a 25 per cent tariff, effective November 1, on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks (with an exemption for those traded under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement).

Trump has also repeatedly expressed a determination to further obstruct the broader industry trend toward EVs and clean energy. To that end, his administration has abolished EV tax credits and revoked a waiver that allowed California (and 15 other states that followed its lead) to enforce EV sales mandates. It eliminated fines for those automakers that have failed to comply with fuel-efficiency rules over the past three years, and it also wants to lift emissions regulations for light-, medium- and heavy-duty vehicles.

Meanwhile, the same administration is handing out record-breaking subsidies to oil companies: a new study indicates that the U.S. now spends a minimum of $30 billion per year on the fossil-fuel industry — more than double what it spent in 2017, during Trump’s first term in office. It’s part of a dubious tradition in the U.S., dating back to 1913, of the federal government subsidizing American oil companies.

North of the border, according to a 2025 report prepared by EY for Electric Mobility Canada, the Canadian EV sector already employs 130,000 workers in mining, refining, vehicle assembly, infrastructure development, electricity generation, R&D and education. And it could employ between 360,000 and 600,000 workers by 2035, with the lower estimate reflecting a scenario in which we were to follow Trump’s approach and roll back EV-friendly policies. The higher estimate, conversely, is predicated on our continuing to pursue a co-ordinated EV strategy, one that reduces Canada’s dependence on the U.S. and expands our capabilities at home.

Even as Trump tries to drag energy policy back to the 1950s, global EV markets are charging full speed ahead. In September alone, worldwide EV sales surpassed 2 million units in a single month for the first time ever — a clear indication of where the automotive industry is headed. That’s why we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted by news from the U.S., which is moving in the wrong direction not only on EVs but also on science, the environment, health care and the jobs that will come to define the 21st century.

Those who would advocate for Canada to follow Trump’s path on EV policy are not acting in the best interests of Canadians. Indeed, their stance would only subordinate our interests to those of the U.S., as if we were the 51st state. So let’s be clear about this: Canada is not the 51st state. We are a sovereign nation with our own priorities, and our governments must act accordingly.

It’s vital that we ensure the future of Canada’s automotive industry is electric — or else we’ll be left in the dust.