Executives at Paccar have announced a third round of layoffs in about 10 months at the company’s only plant in Canada.
Paccar, the parent of the Peterbilt and Kenworth brands, is cutting 300 workers at the factory in Sainte-Thérèse, Quebec, citing the impact of the Trump administration’s recently imposed tariffs on the production of trucks. The move comes after the company said in July that it would lay off 175 people, adding to the 250 cuts announced in December 2024.
A regional leader of the Unifor labor union told the Financial Post that the latest move will leave the Sainte-Thérèse plant with about 500 workers and capacity to build 18 trucks per day from its previous 96. In a statement, the union said it is looking to work with Paccar and political leaders but said quick action was needed and called on the Quebec government to prioritize vehicles made in Canada.
“This is a wake-up call. If the Sainte-Thérèse plant loses access to the U.S. market, we must immediately replenish its order book with local customers,” Unifor Quebec Director Daniel Cloutier said. “The Quebec government has direct leverage through public purchasing. It must lead by example and press all levels of government in Canada to do the same.”
A Paccar official did not respond to a request for comment about the layoffs and the future of the Sainte-Thérèse factory.
