Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly are urging Stellantis to introduce a new model at its dormant Brampton, Ont., assembly plant following the automaker’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a potential sale. Stellantis recently revealed the MOU with Canadian armored vehicle maker Roshel concerning the Brampton plant.
During a media briefing in Toronto, Joly emphasized that Canadian workers’ interests would be safeguarded in any potential plant sale. However, she emphasized the government’s expectation for additional commitments from Stellantis, including the introduction of a new model at the facility. Ford echoed Joly’s sentiments, highlighting the exceptional skills of Canadian auto workers.
With over 11,000 employees in Ontario, Stellantis plays a significant role in the province’s economy, a factor that both Ford and Joly aim to uphold. Efforts to engage Stellantis for comments by CBC News are ongoing.
Stellantis’ Brampton plant has been inactive since 2023, initially scheduled for retooling to accommodate Jeep Compass production before the company paused the plan in early 2025. Subsequently, the decision to relocate Jeep Compass production to the U.S. instead of Canada prompted a stern response from the federal government. The government had threatened legal action against Stellantis for breaching commitments tied to a $15-billion performance incentive from Ottawa and Ontario.
The potential sale of the Brampton plant to Roshel under the recent MOU has raised concerns among Unifor, the union representing plant workers. With the current collective agreement set to expire, talks between the automaker and the union face challenges, as highlighted in a letter from Unifor National President Lana Payne to Joly. Payne stressed the importance of federal intervention to prevent adverse impacts on over 2,000 workers and criticized the proposed sale to a non-automaker, calling for staunch resistance from the government.
