'We will not budge': Ford says 1-month delay on auto tariffs not good enough

Naama Weingarten · CBC

· Posted: Mar 05, 2025 3:30 PM EST | Last Updated: March 5

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the U.S. announcing a one-month intermission connected tariffs for the car manufacture is nary enactment of caller aerial present astatine home. 

White House property caput Karoline Leavitt announced the month-long exemption Wednesday, saying the alteration came after the leaders of America's "Big 3" carmakers, Ford, General Motors and Stellantis, called Trump and asked for tariff relief. 

She said reciprocal tariffs from the U.S. are inactive planned to spell into effect connected April 2, with Ford voicing worries the intermission volition springiness Americans much clip to summation an vantage successful the commercialized war.

"That ever concerns maine erstwhile idiosyncratic says, yeah, springiness america 30 days arsenic we ramp up to commencement moving southbound of the border," Ford told reporters at Queens Park Wednesday.

"That's unacceptable. We request certainty." 

The tariffs are expected to person a devastating interaction connected Ontario's car manufacturing industry, which employs good implicit 100,000 people.

Those successful the assemblage said jobs could beryllium astatine hazard due to the fact that of however interconnected they are with the U.S., with car giants antecedently saying enactment astatine Ontario plants could grind to a halt wrong 5 to 8 days. 

"If [auto tariffs proceed] on April 2, I warrant you assembly lines volition unopen down connected some sides of the border," Ford said connected CNN Wednesday afternoon. 

In the interview, the premier besides flagged that car parts tin spell backmost and 4th crossed the borderline up to 8 times during accumulation and car prices volition spell up if they're taxable to tariffs astatine each crossing. 

The tariffs are besides expected to person a large interaction connected the province's alloy industry, with Ontarians expected consciousness the pinch astatine the checkout antagonistic arsenic they're poised to thrust up inflation.

You tin work much astir tariffs, however they enactment and what they could mean for Canada here. 

'Zero tariffs and that's it'

Ford besides told reporters he's been successful talks with American politicians and Justin Trudeau arsenic helium insists Canada won't compromise connected its effect to the commercialized war. 

"We volition not budge. Zero tariffs and that's it," Ford said. 

Reporters asked him astir his telephone with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick Tuesday and whether the speech was "tense," with Ford refusing to "tone it down" erstwhile Lutnick asked him to. 

"Well, that's beauteous accurate," Ford said – a antithetic sentiment than however helium described the telephone connected ABC quality earlier Wednesday. 

"We wanna person a just commercialized statement and that's what my connection to him was. And helium understands. He's actually, he's a bully man." helium told the American network. 

WATCH | Ontario's effect to the U.S. tariffs: 

Lutnick antecedently hinted astatine being consenting to negociate with Canada and "meet successful the middle."

Since Trump's 25 per cent tariffs connected astir Canadian goods and 10 per cent connected vigor kicked in, Canada responded by slapping tariffs connected $30 cardinal worthy of American goods, with tariffs connected an further $125 cardinal worthy of goods poised to travel successful 3 weeks.

Province already struck back on alcohol, procurement 

The state has taken a slew of measures to combat the tariffs since they kicked successful Tuesday, including taking American liquor disconnected LCBO shelves, tearing up a $100-million woody with Elon Musk's Starlink net provider, and banning U.S. companies from procurement contracts.

So far, it appears astatine slightest 1 of those measures has resonated successful American media: Ford's menace to chopped oregon enactment a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity, which Ontario supplies to astir 1.5 cardinal customers successful New York, Michigan and Minnesota. 

Asked connected CNN whether cutting the energy is inactive connected the table, the premier said "as agelong arsenic these tariffs happen, I have nary choice. I person perfectly nary choice."

Ford besides antecedently threatened to adhd a surcharge oregon chopped disconnected captious mineral exports to the U.S.

Real property marketplace besides reacting 

With the state already down connected its extremity to physique 1.5 cardinal homes by 2031, the commercialized warfare is besides expected to deed Ontario's lodging sector. 

The GTA's Building Industry and Land Development relation anticipates the economical uncertainty volition pb to less homes being built and prices going up.

"We person an manufacture that truly is facing a batch of challenges close now. You adhd successful further economical uncertainty and it volition perchance discourage radical from making that purchase," said David Wilkes, the association's president.

The fig of GTA homes connected the marketplace accrued by much than 5 per cent last period portion location income fell by much than 27 per cent compared to a twelvemonth ago. Those successful the manufacture accidental buyers who were hopeful astir declining involvement rates are present wary of the fiscal impacts of a commercialized war. 

WATCH | How the U.S.-Canada commercialized warfare could interaction GTA housing: 

"It's pulling buyers to the sidelines," said Realosophy Realty president John Pasalis. 

"All of this economical uncertainty is not bully for lodging markets. In astir markets, we similar predictable markets."

In a statement, Ontario's lodging curate said helium is monitoring the tariffs' impact connected location building.