Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is joined by local members of Parliament, Kathy Borrelli, left to right, Harb Gill, and Chris Lewis during a press conference outside the Windsor Club in Windsor, Ont., Friday, March 13, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Dax Melmer

By The Canadian Press

Poilievre announces auto plan aiming for tariff-free access to U.S. market

Mar 15, 2026 | 4:00 AM

WINDSOR — Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has unveiled a new auto plan aiming to secure tariff-free access to the U.S. market.

Poilievre said at an announcement in Windsor Sunday he expects U.S. President Donald Trump to agree to the plan because it would increase production in both countries.

“I’ve got a plan that would advantage both Americans and Canadians if we get to (a) tariff-free deal and a one-for-one production-to-sales ratio,” he said.

Poilievre said the plan “would bring American production up from 11 million to 13 million. In other words, they would win new and increased production as a result of this plan, which is exactly the stated policy objective of the U.S. administration.”

The Conservative plan would implement a rule where for each car produced in Canada, the same manufacturer would be able to sell a U.S.- or Mexico-made car in Canada duty-free.

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It would also harmonize tailpipe emissions reductions with the U.S., and align Canada with the United States on Chinese tariffs in a move meant to give Canada leverage in trade talks.

Trump and his administration have levied tariffs on the auto industry, saying they want to force vehicle manufacturers to move their production to the United States.

Poilievre argued Sunday Canada has no alternative to the U.S. auto market.

“The Americans buy 90 per cent of the automobiles that Canada makes, and we buy almost all of the rest, meaning there are almost no overseas exports of Canadian automobiles today, and that cannot be changed on a dime,” he said.

The plan aims to increase Canadian auto production to two million vehicles over the next decade, up from 1.2 million last year.

The auto plan would also remove the GST from Canadian-made vehicles, end the Liberal government’s electric vehicle subsidies, and ban vehicles that use Chinese- or Russian-connected software.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 15, 2026

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press