Prime Minister Mark Carney has described the decision by automaker Stellantis to close its Brampton, Ontario plant as a betrayal to the nation and its citizens.
Speaking in Montreal on Tuesday, Carney stated, “The situation at the Brampton plant is unacceptable.”
He added, “This action breaches several agreements Stellantis has made, but more fundamentally, it represents a betrayal of the workers and an affront to Canada’s commitments and, by extension, to all Canadians.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has attributed the plant’s closure to the Liberal government’s inability to intervene, urging Carney to dismiss Industry Minister Mélanie Joly for her management of the situation.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre speaks during a news conference on Tuesday near the Stellantis assembly plant. (Arlyn McAdorey/The Canadian Press)
Outside the idle auto assembly facility earlier on Tuesday, Poilievre remarked, “The strategy of the Liberals has failed to protect jobs, from Stellantis to Stelco. In both situations, the Liberals promised to restore those jobs.”
He continued, “Today, the Official Opposition demands that the Liberal Prime Minister dismiss his ineffective, costly, job-killing Industry Minister.”
Stelco, which is operated by Cleveland-Cliffs, a U.S. company, had previously indicated in September its intention to lay off hundreds of Ontario steelworkers, despite assurances to maintain unionized employment levels through 2024.
Both Canadian steel and automotive industries are facing tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for Industry Minister Mélanie Joly to be fired, criticizing her management of Ontario’s struggling steel and automotive sectors, asserting that the Liberal strategy has failed to preserve jobs.
Carney, standing alongside Joly, defended her efforts, stating that she is performing “an exceptional job in very challenging conditions” and will continue to “advocate for these workers.”
“The concern lies not with the diligent work of Minister of Industry Joly and her team, but rather with the company’s actions towards its workforce,” Carney remarked.
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Joly indicated that her office has been in discussions with Stellantis and Unifor, the union representing the Brampton plant workers, for over a year, seeking a resolution with no success.
“Stellantis has chosen to move forward and breach its contract, which is why we will use the full extent of the law to safeguard jobs and restore fairness to these workers,” she stated.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated that the situation at Stellantis is ‘unacceptable’ as the Brampton plant is set to be sold to a Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer. He emphasized, ‘We will fully enforce our rights’ to protect workers and Canadian investments, though specifics were not provided.
In a deal announced by the Trudeau government in 2022, Ottawa committed to investing up to $529 million in Stellantis facilities in Brampton and Windsor, Ontario, to assist with retooling for increased production of electric and gas vehicles.
The agreement prohibited Stellantis from closing its Brampton assembly plant before 2035 unless faced with unforeseen circumstances that rendered the facility “commercially unviable.”
Over 2,000 employees were laid off when the Brampton plant ceased operations in 2023 to upgrade the facility for Jeep Compass production.
However, in early 2025, Stellantis suspended its retooling plans, announcing in October that the Jeep Compass would instead be manufactured at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois.
The future of the Brampton facility remained uncertain until Stellantis revealed on Monday that it would be selling the plant to Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer Roshel Inc., with a potential lease-back agreement for part of the property.
Feds gave $222M to Stellantis
In a statement, Roshel’s CEO Roman Shimonov expressed plans to transform the Brampton facility into “a new centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing.” However, during an interview with CBC News Monday night, he did not commit to re-employing Stellantis workers.
He stated, “We will not assume the responsibilities or obligations that Stellantis made previously,” while speaking to host Hanomansing Tonight.
Carney affirmed that his administration will “fully enforce our rights to safeguard those workers and Canadian funds.”
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CBC News that he advocates for a united Team Canada approach to counter Trump’s efforts to undermine Canada’s automotive industry.
“If we permit Stellantis to exit without fulfilling their legal duties, it won’t be the last auto plant to close in Canada,” Brown warned. “This is crucial for preserving auto jobs.”
Joly is scheduled to convene a meeting with all stakeholders in Toronto on Thursday to seek a resolution for the laid-off Stellantis employees.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly indicates plans to gather stakeholders to discuss Stellantis, which intends to sell a dormant assembly plant to an armoured vehicle manufacturer. Joly, whom Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called to be dismissed, assured her commitment to safeguarding workers, asserting that ‘patience has its limits.’
Last December, CBC News confirmed that the federal government provided $222 million to Stellantis Canada from 2023 to 2025. The federal government has yet to respond to requests for the most recent total.
On Tuesday, Stellantis announced it would voluntarily return the subsidies.
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“We understand that Canadians expect transparency regarding public funding, and that is why Stellantis has offered to return the government assistance received for the original retooling strategy at Brampton Assembly,” the company stated.
It also mentioned that “confidentiality clauses” prevent it from sharing additional information.
No Ontario money went to Brampton: Ford
The 2022 agreement also involved a pledge from Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s administration to support the plants with up to $513 million.
CBC News confirmed on Tuesday that Ontario did not provide Stellantis with any funding for the Brampton retooling project as it failed to meet job creation and project milestone requirements.
However, the company did receive $55 million from the Ford administration for the Windsor facility.