Honda Canada will now produce its popular CR-V compact crossover for export to countries beyond the U.S.

Slower market demand, tariffs and evolving production strategies cited as some of the reasons why Honda is pausing its Canadian EV plans

Ontario Premier Ford is vowing to hold auto companies that pull out from Ontario "accountable" after news that Honda announced it is putting a major electric vehicle supply chain planned for the province on hold.

Honda’s CA$15 billion commitment was touted by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as the “largest auto investment in Canada’s history.” It was to include a battery plant with an annual capacity of 36 GWh while an EV assembly plant would have been able to build as many as 240,000 vehicles per year from 2028.

Slowing demand for EVs and US tariffs impact on Canada’s auto sector force the Japanese automaker to postpone plans for an EV supply chain in Ontario, dealing a severe blow to Canadian EV ambitions.

Honda announced on Tuesday that it has postponed a $15-billion electric-vehicle project, citing market demand, and is shifting some production of its popular CR-V model intended for the U.S. market to its Ohio plant because of tariffs. The halted investment marks by far the biggest project delay yet in Canada as the outlook for EV growth softens.

Honda Motor (NYSE:HMC) announced on Tuesday a two-year postponement of its ambitious $15 billion electric vehicle investment project in Ontario. The Japanese automaker pointed to a slowdown in global EV demand and mounting economic uncertainty linked to new U.

During the announcement of its 2024-2025 fiscal year financial results on May 13, Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe stated that in the current fiscal year, which began on April 1 and will end on March 31 next year, Honda expects the impact of the Trump Administration’s tariff policy to hammer 650 billion yen (~$4.34 billion) off its operating profits.

Japanese multinational Asahi Kasei Corporation and Honda Canada formed a joint venture to make battery separators in Niagara. Despite Honda pausing $15 billion in EV investments, Asahi Kasei says the project should continue with 'minimal' impact.