PC party leader Doug Ford assured Linamar employees Thursday the province is going to get through the tariffs.
Linamar's PowerCor Manufacturing on Elmira Road was one of the stops Ford made in the region.
The visit comes a little more than a week since Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz said tariffs would bring the automotive industry “to its knees" when the auto parts giant announced a $1 billion investment in the province.
President Donald Trump put a pause on the tariffs until March.
Ford referenced the Linamar investment that expects to create 2,300 jobs. “We put in $100 million to make sure we protect those jobs,” he said.
While there was no media availability other than photos during the whistle stop in Guelph Thursday, Ford told workers he is going to protect businesses, communities, people and jobs, alluding to the tariffs. “Over the pandemic I spared no expense to make sure I protected each and every one of you and your families,” he said.
He claimed there are 850,000 more people working today in Ontario than there were seven years ago.
Ford is grateful to see Linamar across Ontario and to see parts being produced in facilities like the one he toured today that go back and forth between Canada and the U.S. before being assembled here.
“We’re going to get through this,” said Ford as he thanked Linamar employees.
