Canada relies on foreign auto executives for its auto industry. It already provides huge taxpayer subsidies per job. There is certainly a possible future where all of those foreign loyal companies side with US to destroy Canadian auto production/investment.
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China could help save Canadian auto industry by providing motors and batteries for Canadian made EVs. Chinese investment to make goods from Canadian resources in Canada is a path for scale that includes global export potential of autos and other industrial goods to whole globe including China.
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If it doesn’t make economic sense to make our own tube socks, it doesn’t make sense to make overly expensive cars, either. There is a stronger national security argument for apparel, that needs yearly replacements, than solar, batteries, and autos that last 20+ years. More so, when they are not dependent on continuous international fuel supply chains/geopolitics.
Pressure on foreign executives to support Canadian production includes access to Canadian market. The stability of status quo will appeal to most people. But the threat/plan B of cooperation with China is both a path to manufacturing and resource FDI paid by China instead of taxpayers, and better quality of life through better value goods.
Canada heavily investing in electrified public transit would do a lot more for the economy and the environment than any EV deal with any country. It also has a side effect of supporting denser housing which could help us get out of our housing crisis.
Canada will still need EVs for people who would rather drive or live rurally but our focus should be reducing the reliance on cars. EVs are massively energy and resource ineffcient compared to transit and transit can be made accesible to more people.
Our Canadian EV bus maker is about to go bankrupt (Lion Electric).
A big issue for them is a lot of their manufacturing happens in the US, I don’t see things getting better for them considering current events
Car culture and city/road design is very much a function of the importance of auto industry. Your transportation priorities are easier to push for when auto lobby is not also a job lobby.
This is a good idea I hadn’t thought of.
Could do this in partnership with EU companies too.