'A stab in the back' - car workers in Canada hit out at US over tariffs

The region of just over 422,000 grew alongside Detroit - nicknamed Motor City for its role as an auto manufacturing hub - turning the region into an important centre for North American automobile production.

Ford first established its presence in Windsor in 1896, while the first Stellantis (then Chrysler) factory arrived in 1928, with dozens of factories and suppliers springing up around the city and surrounding region in the ensuing decades.

Much of the manufacturing has since left the city, though it still boasts two Ford engine factories and a Stellantis assembly plant, which employ thousands.

Workers on both sides of the border have built iconic vehicles over the decades, most recently models like the Dodge Charger and the Ford F-150.

Some 24,000 people work directly in the automotive industry in Windsor-Essex, while an estimated 120,000 other jobs depend on the sector.

A drive through the neighbourhood around the Ford factory feels like a trip back in time, showcasing classic bungalows from the last century. Many have seen better days, though each boasts a verandah and small front yard. Large murals celebrating the city's automotive history punctuate the scenery.

Windsor has weathered the challenges of the North American auto sector alongside Michigan, as the industry shares a deeply integrated supply chain.

Chad Lawton points to the 2008 financial crisis, when the Big Three American automakers - Ford, General Motors and Chrysler - faced staggering losses, and GM and Chrysler received billions in US bailouts to avoid bankruptcy.

That period was "bad, not just for next door, but also we went through a very, very rough time", he said.

"This feels the same. The level of anxiety with the workers, the level of fear, the idea and the belief that this is just something that is so completely out of your control that you can't wrap your head around what to do."

John D'Agnolo, president of Unifor Local 200, which represents Ford workers in Windsor, said the situation "has created havoc".

"I think we're going to see a recession," he said.

He continued: "People aren't going to buy anything. I gotta tell my members not to buy anything. They gotta pay rent and food for their kids."

Laura Dawson, the executive director of Future Borders Coalition, said the tariffs could cause major upheavals throughout the sector due to its deep integration, with ripple effects felt across the continent if exports from Canada stop for more than a week.

She said the US tariffs structure is extremely complicated.

Cars crossing the border will need every component to be assessed for "qualifying content" - where it originates, the cost of labour to produce it, and - if it contains steel or aluminium - where that metal came from.

"Every part of an automobile is literally under a microscope for where it was produced and how," she said.

The US tariffs have been a major factor in Canada's general election, which is on 28 April, with Canada's political parties rolling out suites of plans on the campaign trail to help the auto sector.

Liberal leader Mark Carney, the current prime minister, has pledged to create a C$2bn ($1.4bn; £1.1bn) fund to boost competitiveness and protect manufacturing jobs, alongside plans to build an "all-in-Canada" auto component parts network.

In his role as prime minister, he imposed last week a reported C$35bn in counter auto tariffs, in addition to previously announced reciprocal measures on the US.

Carney's main rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, has vowed to remove sales tax on Canadian vehicles, and to create a fund for companies affected by the tariffs to help keep their employees.

Jagmeet Singh, whose left-wing New Democratic Party is fighting for a competitive seat in Windsor, has pledged to use every dollar from counter tariffs to help workers, and to stop manufacturers from moving equipment to the US.

Still, Windsor's economy is dependent on automakers, and heavily relies on trade with the United States. If it falters, everything - from restaurants to charities - will feel the effects.

The Penalty Box is a sports bar just down the road from the Stellantis plant, and popular with the workers there.

"We're one of the busiest restaurants. I don't want to say it, but if you ask around about the Penalty Box, they'll tell you," its 70-year-old owner, Van Niforos, said. "We do close to 1,000 meals a day."

With a white apron and a wide smile, he relates its 33-year history. But his demeanour darkens when asked about threats the auto sector faces.

"It's a devastating situation. I don't want to think about it," he said.

"We employ 60 people and we're open six days a week. [If something happens to the Stellantis plant], will we be able to keep 60 people working? Absolutely no."

Chad Lawton, sitting in his office at the local union, takes a deep breath as he contemplates how precarious his life feels.

He doesn't think Carney's counter tariffs help the current situation, arguing they "just makes a really bad situation a little bit worse".

He hopes there is room for trade negotiation, but said he will be the first to say that Canada "cannot just concede and roll over".

"I've worked for a Ford Motor Company for almost 31 years, and I have never seen anything close to this," he said.

"That includes Covid, because at least with Covid, we knew what we were dealing with. And there was some certainty there."

"This is all over the map."