Car Tariffs Stoke Layoff Fears in Canada’s Once-Proud Motor City

An hour from Toronto, downtown Oshawa seems to exude the vibe of a pleasant small town. But signs of economic stress are multiplying in the place that once fashioned itself as Canada’s motor city.

Lines form early outside the food bank on Simcoe Street where customers load strollers with pasta and bags of bread. Homeless encampments dot the river trail. Inside local food joints like Ciao Amici, a lunch stop serving Italian specialties, conversations drift toward layoffs. On that front, there’s a lot to talk about.

Unemployment has surged in Oshawa and now tops 9%, one of the highest rates ...