President Trump's tariffs on imported auto parts have started to devastate Windsor, Ontario, the heart of Canada's automotive industry. Local union representatives, Pauline Ridley and Colleen Barrette, emphasized that without the auto-parts manufacturers, Windsor would resemble a “ghost town.” The anxieties rippling through this city extend beyond the larger vehicle assembly plants to the approximately 100 smaller auto-parts vendors that collectively employ around 9,000 workers.
While the three major auto factories in Windsor employ 5,400, it's the smaller suppliers that are feeling the brunt of the 25 percent tariffs imposed on auto components. Companies like KB Components are facing dire circumstances, with about 100 workers laid off among its 400 remaining employees due to a downturn in orders from major car manufacturers like Toyota, Ford, Rivian, and Lucid.
Without the financial buffer that larger automakers possess, many small businesses find themselves vulnerable. The loss of their livelihoods, alongside the closure of auto parts facilities, raises the specter of economic decay in Windsor, prompting calls for urgent support from government officials to avert a complete collapse of the sector.
