PM Mark Carney's Canada

[urbanclient]

Also the CAD USD exchange rate

I think Fraser purports to factor that in somewhat, because the numbers are all in CAD. But idk where they are getting the numbers as to have such a large gap.

This is the best apples to apples I can find quickly, note StatsCan is in 2023 CAD and FRED is in 2023 USD:
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1110023901
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEPAINUSA672N
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MAPAINUSA646N

Multinational companies don't care about cost of living difference which narrows the CAN-USA income gap, but they do care how much USD equivalent they need to pay their workers. It's less in Canada.

 

[Admiral Beez]

Yes. And companies save on having to provide most health insurance in Canada. Take this with a grain of salt, the real gap is a bit smaller:

The UAW assumes the cost of health care insurance at Ford, GM and I believe Stellantis. That’s not the case of non-UAW plants. But Canadian auto workers are still paid significantly less than those in the US.

As for the Koreans, if they can get a toehold into NATO’s submarine market they’ll accept anything reasonable on auto plants. And besides, after dozens of Koreans were arrested by ICE as the were setting up a Hyundai battery plant they’re less than enthused to drop an auto plant in the US.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/24/world/asia/south-korea-georgia-hyundai-ice-raid.html

 

[urbanclient]

The UAW assumes the cost of health care insurance at Ford, GM and I believe Stellantis.

I should've clarified earlier, what I meant was companies don't have to provide insurance that OHIP etc. already covers. But they still do extended health benefits in Canada.

As for the Koreans, if they can get a toehold into NATO’s submarine market they’ll accept anything reasonable on auto plants. And besides, after dozens of Koreans were arrested by ICE as the were setting up a Hyundai battery plant they’re less than enthused to drop an auto plant in the US.

That US plant situation was a self-inflicted foot shot. I saw ads in Ottawa for that Korean submarine, don't know how much it actually influenced the government's decision though.

 

[MisterF]

Korea, like China and their EVs are playing the long game. For the same reason Toyota and Honda set up shop in Canada… access to the US market while benefiting from lower labour costs in Canada. And it doesn’t matter if Trump throws a wrench into the Canada-USA auto pact or CUSMA. Any Korean or Chinese auto plant in Canada won’t be in place until well after Trump’s gone in Jan 2029. The Asian industrialists and their export-focused governments are looking to the 2040s and 50s.

Let's hope you're right about 2029. I'm not sure I share your optimism.

Incidentally, it's now been 25 years since the end of the Auto Pact. Time flies.

 

[kEiThZ]

The Canadian auto market is limited. Where are they going to sell all those cars?

The quota in the deal amounts to something like 3-4% of the sales in our market. It's just not a huge deal. And a chunk of the sales will be existing brands like Tesla, Volvo, Polestar, etc.

Korea, like China and their EVs are playing the long game. For the same reason Toyota and Honda set up shop in Canada… access to the US market while benefiting from lower labour costs in Canada. And it doesn’t matter if Trump throws a wrench into the Canada-USA auto pact or CUSMA. Any Korean or Chinese auto plant in Canada won’t be in place until well after Trump’s gone in Jan 2029. The Asian industrialists and their export-focused governments are looking to the 2040s and 50s.

People need to stop thinking this is just about Trump. It was actually Biden who imposed the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs and insisted that we follow suit. Trump is actually continuity on this one. And I don't see how a Democrat who wants to win votes in Michigan is going to change course. But without some change of direction, the Chinese won't be building a plant here.

At this point, I am just hoping that we can convince Hyundai to build an EV factory here as part of the submarine bid.

 

[hw621]

The quota in the deal amounts to something like 3-4% of the sales in our market. It's just not a huge deal. And a chunk of the sales will be existing brands like Tesla, Volvo, Polestar, etc.



People need to stop thinking this is just about Trump. It was actually Biden who imposed the 100% tariffs on Chinese EVs and insisted that we follow suit. Trump is actually continuity on this one. And I don't see how a Democrat who wants to win votes in Michigan is going to change course. But without some change of direction, the Chinese won't be building a plant here.

At this point, I am just hoping that we can convince Hyundai to build an EV factory here as part of the submarine bid.

Biden imposed the tariffs on the Chinese, but Trump also did that on us. That changed the whole game...

 

[Admiral Beez]

Incidentally, it's now been 25 years since the end of the Auto Pact. Time flies.

My friend still has one of the Volvo 240s that were assembled in Halifax in the 1970s in order to get in on the Auto Pact and US market.

Volvo Halifax Assembly - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've always liked the look of the Volvo Amazon. I'd buy one now.

Now that Volvo is Chinese owned, maybe we'll see the brand made here once more. Stranger things.....

 

[kEiThZ]

Biden imposed the tariffs on the Chinese, but Trump also did that on us. That changed the whole game...

My point here is that this didn't start with Trump. Won't end with Trump.

 

[christiesplits]

The Liberals have nominated Toronto doctor Danielle Martin to run in the University-Rosedale by-election.

NOMINATION NOTICE – University—Rosedale | Liberal Party of Canada

(Pour consulter l’avis d’investiture en français, veuillez consulter cette page) I’m pleased to share that Danielle Martin will be the Liberal Candidate for University—Rosedale in the next by-election, and will continue our hard work to build a stronger Canada. The Liberal nominations process...

liberal.ca