OTTAWA – Unifor says major capital investments in procurement, infrastructure and housing are welcome advancements in Budget 2025 but must translate into Canadian jobs, Canadian content and Canadian production underpinned by strong sectoral industrial strategies.
“Building a resilient economy means ensuring that the commitments outlined in the federal budget translate into good, union jobs for Canadian workers,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Trump’s tariffs are an existential threat, and Canada must fight back to protect working families and industries alike.”
Unifor welcomes federal commitments to key sectors, like forestry, including a $13 billion Made-in-Canada “Build Canada Homes” housing program, tied to a federal Buy Canadian strategy for lumber inputs. The budget also includes investments in a modern defense industrial strategy that must grow the domestic manufacturing industry, including aerospace.
“Budget 2025 includes announcements that could benefit manufacturing, including our aerospace and forestry sectors” said Daniel Cloutier Unifor Quebec Director. “However, the government must follow through on its promises and deliver on strategies to protect workers from the impacts of U.S. tariffs.”
Unifor reiterates that Canada needs comprehensive industrial strategies to sustain and grow all tariff-impacted sectors and urges aggressive and efficient deployment of the $5 billion Strategic Response Fund to protect industrial jobs.
The budget extends special Employment Insurance (EI) enhancements and Work-Sharing flexibilities for workers impacted by tariffs. Unifor says these important temporary measures should be made permanent as part of larger EI reform.
New capital spending – like the $115 billion over five years for infrastructure in areas including transit, healthcare, and housing – must support Canadian job creation, through domestic content rules.
The implementation of methane gas regulation, as demanded by Unifor, must patch aging pipelines and grow union jobs. Missing from Budget 2025 is any commitment to fortify West-East energy rail links, including by shipping products using Canadian-made tanker cars, as recommended by Unifor.
“Unfortunately, this budget also hits critical public services hard,” added Payne. “Austerity and privatization – including persistent threats of selling off public agencies, as well as airports – are the wrong moves, especially in times of crisis. Strong public services keep working people and our economy afloat.”
It’s time to harness Canadian resources, skills, and innovation to power a self-sufficient, made-in-Canada economy.