Canadian manufacturers call for ‘urgent action’ in budget 2023

The members of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition (CMC), a group of Canada’s manufacturing sector associations chaired by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME), are calling on Canada’s federal government to support the manufacturing industry in Budget 2023 with measures that will help attract and train workers, support investment, and accelerate their transition to net zero production.

In addition to implementing a comprehensive industrial strategy for Canada, the members of the Canadian Manufacturing Coalition have outlined four priorities they want addressed in the March 28 budget.

These include:

• Support industry by attracting the workers and skills it needs through increased and targeted immigration and enhanced training supports;
• Drive innovation, investment, and the adoption of advanced technologies and automation;
• Increase domestic manufacturing production and exports;
• Help manufacturers adapt to and advance Canada’s climate change plan;
• The industry is under pressure because of chronic labour shortages, “Buy American” protectionism, declining investment, weak export performance, competition from the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, and massive costs associated with net-zero transition.

“Canadian manufacturers need urgent action on all these fronts to combat the threats posed to their competitiveness,” says CMC chair Dennis Darby, who is also the president and CEO of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. “Investing in our sector will not only enable our manufacturers to overcome these challenges, but to thrive, and to continue to play the important economic role they have always played.”

The Canadian Manufacturing Coalition is composed of over 30 manufacturing sector trade associations and combined represents all 90,000 manufacturing companies across Canada.

The manufacturing sector accounts for nearly 10 per cent of Canada’s real gross domestic product and two-thirds of Canada’s goods exports.

Manufacturers employ 1.7 million people in Canada. Total manufacturing sales hit a record high of $718.4 billion in 2021.

List of Canadian Manufactures coalition members who have signed on:

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
Aerospace Industry Association of Canada
Spirits Canada
Canadian Fluid Power Association
Automotive Industries Association of Canada
Canadian Home Products Trade Association
Canadian Steel Producers Association
Canadian Paint and Coatings Association
Food, Health & Consumer Products of Canada
Canadian Transportation Equipment Association
Innovative Medicines Canada
Canadian Institute of Steel Construction
Canadian Transportation Equipment Association
Wood Manufacturing Cluster of Ontario
Canadian Kitchen Cabinet Association
Canadian Foundry Association
Canadian Tooling and Machining Association
Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association
Canadian Corrugated and Containerboard Association
Medtech Canada
Electro-Federation Canada
Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers’ Association
SOURCE Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters