Canada's EV market was already in trouble. Tariffs made it worse, Ontario workers say
As the first BrightDrop commercial van rolled off the line at the CAMI Assembly plant, GM executives, union leaders and former prime minister Justin Trudeau touted it as a major milestone for electric vehicle production in Canada.
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CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
London auto parts plant that supplies CAMI/BrightDrop vehicles is ceasing operations
A London auto parts plant that supplies seats to the CAMI/BrightDrop vehicles is being shuttered. Magna Corporation issued a statement confirming that Qualtech Seating Systems is expected to be fully closed by Oct. 10. The statement, issued by vice president of corporate communications Tracy Fuerst, says 49 Qualtech employees will be affected. 'We appreciate this decision is a difficult one for the valued and hard-working employees at Qualtech, and the Company is committed to working with the team through the plant closure process to help ensure a smooth transition,' according to the statement. In April, General Motors (GM) announced it was idling operations at the Ingersoll CAMI assembly plant until October. GM cited slow sales and an oversupply of vehicles as reasons for the pause in CAMI operations. UNIFOR 88 leadership, which represents unionized workers at the plant, cited U.S. tariffs as a contributing factor. The assembly plant will be reduced to a single shift with approximately 450 unionized workers when production resumes. An estimated 500 unionized workers will be indefinitely laid off.
Toronto Sun
3 days ago
- Toronto Sun
SALTZMAN: GM Canada takes the EV crown, Rogers Satellite goes live for all Canadians
And other tech news you can use, including AI-powered flight deals and a cybersafety report for kids. The 2025 Chevrolet Equinox EV 3LT in Riptide Blue. Photo by HANDOUT The momentum continues for General Motors of Canada and its electric vehicle (EV) lineup. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The Oshawa, Ont.-based automaker announced it has led the Canadian EV segment for three consecutive quarters, outselling every other EV — including those from Tesla. The company's EV market share almost tripled, in fact, rising to 23.2% in the second quarter of 2025, compared to the same period last year (at 8.1 per cent market share). 'Essentially, one in four EVs sold in Canada is now a GM brand — such as Chevrolet, Cadillac and GMC — totaling 13 different EVs in the market,' confirms Shane Peever, vice president of sales, service and marketing at GM Canada, in a telephone interview. Peever says its Chevrolet Equinox EV (starting at $48,433) is now the best-selling GM EV in Canada, and No. 2 across all EVs (behind Tesla Model Y). Offering up to 513 kilometers of range on a full charge, Equinox EV, a compact SUV, also features a 17.7-inch diagonal touchscreen display in the center console, an 11-inch diagonal driver display, and support for Super Cruise hands-free driving on select roadways (three-year trial included). This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Cadillac EVs, including the LYRIQ and OPTIQ, are also selling well, says Peever, with 'over 30 points of [market] share in the luxury market for EVs.' The Cadillac OPTIQ (from $63,433) is the second best-selling GM EV in Canada, behind Equinox. While he agrees backlash against CEO Elon Musk has contributed to Tesla's sales decline in the country — Musk tweeting that 'Canada is not a real country' in February didn't help the brand — Peever says GM's vast EV line-up, including affordable options, also contributed to the company's surge in EV sales. 'And don't forget, we became number one last year — before the anti-Musk sentiment,' Peever adds. Rogers has launched Rogers Satellite, a new service that lets those with a compatible smartphone to send text messages to any phone number (and 911) via low-earth orbit satellites. Rogers launches satellite-to-text service While Canadians enjoy ubiquitous cellular service in major city centres, coverage is limited to only 18% of the country. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And so, it can be tricky — if not impossible — to get bars on your phone in remote areas, which could be problematic in emergency situations. Until now. Rogers has launched Rogers Satellite, a new service that lets those with a compatible smartphone — virtually any iPhone or Android device released over the past few years — to send text messages to any phone number (and 911) via low-earth orbit satellites. Eventually, it will support voice calls and data, too, including app support. Currently in beta, it's open (and free) to all Canadians — not just Rogers customers. Interested parties can sign up at Once registered, your compatible phone will automatically connect in areas without cell service. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. After the beta trial ends in October, Rogers Satellite will be included at no additional cost to customers on the Rogers Ultimate Plan, and will continue to be available for all Canadians for $15/month (though beta participants will receive a $5/month discount for the first 12 months, says Rogers). In April 2023, Rogers announced it was partnering with SpaceX and Lynk Global as key partners for its satellite-to-mobile service. As the first wireless provider in Canada to offer this technology, Rogers says it now covers more than 5.4 million square kilometres. South of the border, the three biggest telecom giants — Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T — have recently launched a similar service. Flight Deals is an AI-powered search tool within Google Flights, designed to quickly find affordable flights. Google bows AI-powered 'Flight Deals' Especially given the Air Canada strike, Canadian travelers will be looking to all airlines for the best bargains. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. An efficient way to pull this off may be the just-launched Flight Deals, an AI-powered search tool within Google Flights, designed to quickly find affordable flights. Rolling out in English over the next week — in Canada, the U.S. and India, to start — simply describe when, where and how you'd like to travel, and Flight Deals will do the rest. 'Using Google's advanced AI models, Flight Deals understand the nuances of what you're looking for, and finds the best bargains for you, including destinations you may not have considered, pulling from hundreds of airlines and booking sites,' Google states in a company blog post. For example, search for something like '5-day trip to a scenic Atlantic Canadian city this October' or '7-day non-stop Toronto to Louisville for bourbon tour.' You'll see results that match your query, perhaps from hundreds of airlines and booking sites, and maybe destinations you haven't previously considered. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Flight Deals is available on both mobile and desktop, via web browser. Cybersecurity brand Norton has released its 2025 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Connected Kids. Norton report reveals kids at risk Norton, a leading cybersecurity brand, has released its 2025 Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report: Connected Kids, revealing concerning trends tied to children's digital safety. The global study shows that one in eight kids experience 'cyberbullying' — and keep in mind that's according to parents aware of it, which isn't always the case. In the U.S., that number jumps to one in four respondents (24%). Parents said most of this harassment took place on social media – primarily though Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook – and 39 percent of perpetrators identified as classmates or peers. A related concern, 41% of children are turning to AI for emotional support. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Also used for schoolwork and creativity, nearly half (48 per cent) currently using ChatGPT and 30%use Google Gemini (globally). While 86 per cent of parents attempt to manage screen time, 56% of children find ways to circumvent these controls. Nearly one in three (29%) of children find ways around screen time limits and tell their parents about it, while another 23% bypass controls without disclosure, and parents discover these workarounds independently. As for addressing these cybersecurity concerns, Norton suggests the following: Effective online safety isn't about restrictions — it's about preparation and communication, starting early, with 'judgment-free' spaces for discussing online experiences. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Regular check-ins work better than crisis-driven conversations. Read More Implementing layered protection, but technological tools should complement, not replace, family conversations. Consider scam detection and antivirus software, age-appropriate content filters. Norton has several solutions for parents. Stay current by following reputable digital safety organizations, joining parent groups focused on technology, and asking children about new platforms and trends they like using. – Based in Toronto, Marc Saltzman is the host of the Tech It Out podcast and the author of the book, Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley). RECOMMENDED VIDEO
Toronto Sun
6 days ago
- Toronto Sun
Federal agency invested millions in money losing Kenyan company without 'due diligence'
Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada Justin Trudeau speaks at a Liberal fundraiser, Monday, June 12, 2023 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld FinDev Canada, created by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in 2017, says in an internal memo it did no 'due diligence' before investing millions into a money-losing cellphone company in Kenya, according to Blacklock's Reporter. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The federal agency, known more formally as the Development Finance Institute, admitted as much in the memo they withheld for six years under the Access to Information act. Trudeau created FinDev Canada with a $300-million budget 'to support private sector investment in developing countries.' 'Due to lack of time, team must rely on due diligence performed by others,' said minutes of a Nov. 10, 2017 meeting of the board. A separate staff email said: 'Because (our) first transaction will be the object of significant scrutiny, we will need to ensure the rationale for our involvement is articulated clearly and convincingly.' The agency's first investment was buying US$10 million shares in M-Kopa Holdings Ltd. of Nairobi, a door-to-door sales company marketing cellphones and housewares. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Access To Information records, approval for the M-Kopa agreement came only weeks after being contacted by the company's CEO. Since 2018, FinDev has bought additional M-Kopa shares for a total of $43.4 million. Over the same period, M-Kopa reported $138.6 million in combined losses but FinDev wouldn't say how much taxpayers have lost. 'FinDev takes seriously its responsibility for transparency regarding its financing and investment activities,' the agency said in a statement. 'At the same time FinDev is mindful of the need to protect certain commercially sensitive or personal and otherwise restricted information related to its private sector clients or other stakeholders. The information you have requested is bound by these restrictions.' Recommended video Toronto Maple Leafs Editorial Cartoons World Columnists Toronto & GTA
