Ontario Premier Doug Ford and federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly are urging Stellantis to introduce a new vehicle model at its dormant Brampton, Ontario assembly plant following the automaker’s memorandum of understanding (MOU) regarding a potential sale.
Last Friday, Stellantis disclosed that it had signed an MOU with Canadian armored vehicle manufacturer Roshel on a prospective sale of the Brampton facility. Addressing media at an unrelated event in Toronto on Wednesday, Joly assured that Canadian workers would be safeguarded in the event of a plant sale to another firm but emphasized the government’s expectations for greater commitment from Stellantis.
“We are advocating for a new model from Stellantis at the Brampton plant, and we will exert maximum pressure to achieve this goal. If they fail to comply, we will pursue a refund,” Joly stated. Ford echoed Joly’s stance, stressing the need for a fresh model at the plant and praising the exceptional skills of Canadian auto workers.
With over 11,000 employees in Ontario, Stellantis plays a significant role in the province’s economy, and Ford emphasized the desire to build upon that foundation. CBC News has sought comment from Stellantis on the matter.
The Brampton plant, which has been inactive since 2023, was initially slated for retooling to produce Jeep Compass vehicles before Stellantis halted the plan in early 2025. Following this, the company announced the relocation of Jeep Compass production to the U.S.
This decision prompted a stern response from the federal government, which threatened legal action against Stellantis for reneging on commitments made to the federal and provincial governments. These commitments included meeting production obligations at the Brampton plant in exchange for a substantial performance incentive of $15 billion from Ottawa and Ontario.
Amidst the recent MOU with Roshel regarding a potential sale, concerns have arisen from Unifor, the union representing plant workers, about the future of the facility. The current collective agreement between Stellantis and the union is due to expire on September 20, and discussions are at a standstill. Unifor National President Lana Payne highlighted in a letter to Joly that a potential sale could affect over 2,000 employees, emphasizing the government’s responsibility to prevent such an outcome.
Payne’s letter urged the federal government to oppose the proposed sale of the plant to a non-automaker and take decisive action against it.