General Motors (GM) will temporarily halt production of its BrightDrop electric commercial vans at its CAMI Assembly plant in Ontario due to weak market demand, the automaker and labor union Unifor said.
As part of the pause, GM will lay off approximately 1,200 workers beginning in April. The plant is expected to resume limited operations in May, with full production not scheduled until October 2025. The company emphasized that the decision was unrelated to newly imposed tariffs on automotive imports.
See also: Walmart Set to Roll Out First BrightDrop Electric Vans in Major U.S. Cities by Year-End
GM said it was making “operational and employment adjustments to balance inventory and align production schedules with current demand” at the plant, which manufactures the Chevrolet BrightDrop electric delivery vans.
Unifor, the union representing the CAMI workforce, said nearly 500 jobs would be lost permanently when operations resume in October, as the plant will move to a single shift. “This adjustment is directly related to responding to market demand and re-balancing inventory,” GM said in a statement. “Production of BrightDrop and EV battery assembly will remain at CAMI.”
See also: General Motors Recalls BrightDrop EV600 Electric Delivery Vans Over Fire Risk
Unifor National President Lana Payne called the development “a crushing blow to hundreds of working families in Ingersoll and the surrounding region who depend on this plant.” She added, “General Motors must do everything in its power to mitigate job loss during this downturn, and all levels of government must step up to support Canadian auto workers and Canadian-made products.”
GM reported sales of 274 BrightDrop vans in the first quarter of this year, a slight increase from the 256 units delivered in the same period last year.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the layoffs as “deeply painful news for autoworkers in Ingersoll and for workers throughout Canada’s auto industry.” In a post on X, he said, “My government is fighting to defend our auto sector, protect our workers and build our supply chains in Canada.”
Today’s layoffs are deeply painful news for autoworkers in Ingersoll and for workers throughout Canada's auto industry.
My government is fighting to defend our auto sector, protect our workers and build our supply chains in Canada. We've made it easier for affected workers to…
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 11, 2025
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also weighed in on social media, stating, “We will keep them working, so they can keep their jobs as we fight through this mess. A Conservative Government will push hard to put an end to these tariffs and get a quick but fair deal that protects our sovereignty and our economy.”
During the production pause, GM plans to retool the CAMI plant to prepare for the 2026 model year BrightDrop van lineup.
Source: Reuters