Poilievre to axe GST off the sale of new cars made in Canada and create ‘Keep Canadians Working Fund’ to protect auto worker jobs and others impacted by Trump’s unjustified tariffs.
Kingston, ON – Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre announced today that he will take the GST off the sale of new Canadian-made cars, after Trump announced unjustified tariffs on Canada’s auto sector. This will boost the sale of new Canadian-made cars, supporting our auto industry and protecting workers’ jobs. Poilievre will also create the ‘Keep Canadians Working Fund,’ a targeted, temporary loan and credit program for businesses directly hit by Trump’s tariffs, to keep workers working.
“In addition to unfair and counterproductive tariffs on our aluminum and steel, President Trump is now going after our auto workers. The president is betraying America’s closest friend and attacking our economy, proving once again that Canada must end its era of over-dependence and weakness,” said Poilievre. “I will stand up for Canada and protect our autoworkers by axing the GST on cars we make here at home.”
President Trump’s decision to slap a 25% tariff on Canadian-made vehicles is a direct attack on our workers and our automotive industry, jeopardizing thousands of jobs. To counter this unjustified attack, Poilievre will temporarily remove the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on purchases of all new Canadian-manufactured vehicles. The GST will be removed as long as Trump’s tariffs remain in place.
On a Canadian-made vehicle priced at $50,000, axing the GST will save consumers $2,500. This immediate relief will help consumers under financial strain caused by Trump’s tariffs and support Canadian auto workers by making it easier for Canadians to buy vehicles made here at home. Poilievre also called on Canada’s Premiers to axe their provincial sales taxes on new made-in-Canada cars, saving Canadians between $6,000 and $7,500 on that same new $50,000 car.
The Keep Canadians Working Fund is a targeted, temporary liquidity program designed to help businesses affected by sudden tariffs keep workers on the job. It will provide up to $3 billion in short-term credit lines and low-interest loans to ensure companies can maintain operations and keep employees working in industries affected by Trump tariffs.
The Fund is modelled on the Business Credit Availability Program (BCAP) that the Harper government created during the 2008 recession to successfully protect affected businesses and jobs. The program will be administered through three existing federal entities: the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Export Development Canada (EDC) and Farm Credit Canada (FCC).
“We must rebuild our economy so that we can stand up to Trump from a position of strength, and never be in a position of weakness again,” said Poilievre. “Conservatives will be there for the auto workers in Oshawa, Cambridge, Brampton, Windsor, Essex, St. Catharines, Oakville, Alliston, Woodstock, and Ingersoll. We will keep them working, so they can keep their jobs as we fight through this mess. We will push hard to put an end to these tariffs and get a quick but fair deal that protects our sovereignty, knocks down all the tariffs and allows us to rebuild our military so that we can be a true sovereign nation.”
