Survival of Canada’s auto industry will be a critical issue in southern Ontario ridings in next federal election

But the bigger question is: if the auto industry is not a growth driver for Canada, what will replace it? The answer is not oil and gas. This is where we need much greater thinking and acting.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, left, and PM Mark Carney. The Liberals and Conservatives are clearly giving Canadians a choice on the future of the auto industry. But both need to acknowledge that the industry is in long-term decline in both Canada and the U.S. Investment is flowing to the strongest growth markets, writes David Crane.The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY DAVID CRANE

April 6, 2026

TORONTO—In the battle for crucial ridings across southern Ontario in the next federal election, the auto industry's future will be a critical issue. It’s not hard to see why. It provides good jobs in many communities in the province. Even in today’s troubled times, it...

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