Ont. man caught up in tariff war while trying to ship dream car

An Ontario man said ongoing tariff troubles are keeping him from bringing his dream car home. CTV’s Karis Mapp reports.

For as long as Cam Gillespie can remember, he’s always been a fan of Ford cars, with Shelby Mustangs holding a special place in his heart.

“They only produced about 135 convertibles back in 1970 and Caroll Shelby was a race car driver back in the 50’s,” explained the 65-year-old retiree.

So when his dream car, a 1969 Shelby Mustang, became available for purchase from an Iowa dealership, Gillespie jumped at the opportunity.

“I never thought I’d find one to be quite honest. That’s how rare they are.”

He said he was aware of Canada’s ongoing trade war with the United States, so he contacted the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to inquire about shipping the car to his home in Brantford, Ont.

At the time, Gillespie said a CBSA agent told him he wouldn’t be impacted because the tariffs don’t affect classic cars over 25 years old.

It wasn’t until after Gillespie purchased the vehicle and began coordinating shipping, that he realized he’d be paying more than he had anticipated.

“I always get TFX International to bring the cars up and TFX, at that time, informed me that there would be a 25 per cent tariff on the automobile,” said Gillespie.

CTV News contacted the CBSA and a spokesperson responded with an emailed statement.

It read, in part, “Please note that general information shared over the phone does not constitute an advance ruling of the duties and taxes that will apply to specific imports of goods. Each situation is unique, therefore we do not speculate or comment on individual outcomes.”

What was expected to be a $106,000 purchase, adding up to over $145,000 with taxes and tariffs included.

And Gillespie said the unexpected costs won’t stop when the vehicle arrives.

“My insurance is going to be based on $145,000,” Gillespie said. “I’m going to be paying a fortune in insurance for a vehicle that I’m going to drive maybe 15 minutes in the summertime.”

The added cost comes due to Canada’s retaliatory tariff that implemented in response to the Trump administration’s tariff on automotive imports.

For now, the Shelby Mustang is still sitting at the dealership in Iowa, but Gillespie was told they can only hold onto it until the end of August.

With time of the essence, Gillespie has attempted to escalate his situation, reaching out to the office of Prime Minister Mark Carney and to Minister of Finance François-Phillipe Champagne.

Brantford’s Member of Parliament Larry Brock has even written a letter on Gillespie’s behalf.

Despite receiving a response from Prime Minister Carney’s office, a resolution still hasn’t been found. Which means, Gillespie is going to have to pay the tariff price if he wants his dream car.

“This should be changed, this doesn’t make sense. It’s not right.”

The importance of importing

The retaliatory tariff is aimed to de-incentivize Canadians from purchasing American-made cars. But for Gillespie and car enthusiasts alike, getting vehicles from the U.S. is their only option.

“In the classic car world, because of their climate and dry states, no salt, no snow, [the U.S. has] got 99.9 per cent of the inventory,” Scott Vickers, President of Summit Ford in Toronto, said.

Vicker’s company purchases cars on behalf of Canadians who may not be able to attend car auctions south of the border. They also recondition the vehicles.

“It’s bad enough we have to deal with 30 per cent on exchange, now you tack on another 25 per cent in tariffs - It just economically doesn’t make sense,” said Vickers.

“I’ve sold numerous classic cars and recently sold one, three times. Every time I sell that car, the government’s getting roughly $13,000 to $15,000 in revenue.”

The companies transporting the cars across the border are also feeling a financial hit.

“We’re probably missing out on about $50,000 to $100,000 every week of potential sales just in transport alone,” said Aaron Horodnyk, the Vice President of TFX International – the company tasked with bringing Gillespie’s Mustang to Canada.

“I think what’s happened to Cam is absurd. People should be allowed to own and drive what they want to own and drive.”