What you need to know about buying a car in a trade war

An employee works on the production line at the Martinrea auto parts manufacturing plant that supplies auto parts to Canada and U.S. plants, in Woodbridge, Ont., on Feb. 3, 2025. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP, File)

By Analysis by The Big Story podcast

Posted March 17, 2025 7:05 am.

Last Updated March 17, 2025 7:19 am.

Spring is usually the hottest time of year for car sales.

But with Trump’s tariffs affecting aluminum, steel and auto parts, this year could be different.

If tariffs on cars come into force on April 2 as scheduled, there are fears it could upend the automotive supply chain.

In today’s The Big Story podcast, host David Smith speaks with automotive specialist Tim Dimopoulos, publisher of Automotive News Canada, about what it all means for Canadian consumers.

You can subscribe to The Big Story podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google and Spotify.

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