MONTREAL - American truck maker Paccar Inc. is laying off 300 more factory workers in Quebec ahead of a 25 per cent import tariff to be imposed by the U.S. next month.
The factory in Sainte-Thérèse, a Montreal suburb, manufactures Kenworth and Peterbilt trucks and relies heavily on revenue from the United States.
Unifor Quebec director Daniel Cloutier calls the cuts "a wake-up call" as the plant risks losing sales south of the border due to the hefty levies on commercial trucks, set to take effect Nov. 1.
The factory will likely find itself in competition with other plants owned by Paccar, which can shift production to its facilities in the U.S.
In a conference call with analysts this week, chief executive Preston Feight called the sectoral tariffs "a good thing for Paccar's customers," pointing to plants in Texas, Ohio and Washington that could offer a competitive advantage against producers not on American soil.
The announcement is the latest in a series of layoffs at the company's Quebec plant, where some 425 workers have already been let go since January.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2025.