Plants, Investment & M&A
Stellantis has signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian armoured-vehicle maker Roshel on a potential sale of its idled Brampton, Ont., assembly plant, as talks with the union break down. An MOU is not a completed sale.
A defence buyer for an auto plant would shift Brampton suppliers toward defence specs and volumes. Watch who qualifies, not just who buys.
Plants, Investment & M&A
Nestlé has completed an expansion of its historic confectionery factory in downtown Toronto, Food in Canada reports.
Multinationals are still putting capital into urban Ontario food plants. Local packaging and maintenance suppliers should be in that conversation.
Funding & Grants
Announced at the Canada Investment Summit as a proposed measure, the Productivity Mega Deduction would expand immediate 100% cost deduction to more than 65% of eligible assets, up from the earlier Super-Deduction.
If it passes, equipment bought now could be written off in year one. Get your accountant's read on eligibility before timing a capex purchase.
Policy, Trade & Economy
Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 0.4% to $78.7 billion in July, ending five straight monthly increases, with sales down in 8 of the 21 subsectors it tracks.
One soft month after five gains is a pause, not a trend. Watch August before changing inventory or hiring plans.
Policy, Trade & Economy
The latest U.S. tariffs of 50% now apply to goods making up about 0.6% of U.S. imports from Canada, including outboard motorboats and metal and paper products. Some goods were removed from the list.
Narrow lists change often. If you ship metal or paper products south, check your HS codes against the current list, not last month's.
Supply Chain & Reshoring
On top of tariffs, shippers face more border enforcement and penalties. To prove product classification and trade-agreement compliance, importers are increasingly asked for a longer paper trail, including labour and manufacturing records.
CUSMA origin claims now need evidence, not a certificate alone. Build the production and labour record set before a customs audit asks.
Workforce & Skills
Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu vowed the government will not compromise the right to strike or bargain, after her department spent spring and summer consulting unions, employers and others on the Canada Labour Code.
The Labour Code covers federally regulated employers only. For most Ontario plants this signals Ottawa's stance, not a rule change.
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