The future of Stellantis's Brampton assembly plant remains uncertain as the union representing its workers reports no confirmed plans for new vehicle production. Unifor, which represents about 3,000 workers at the Brampton facility, expressed concerns following Stellantis's announcement that it would shift production of the new Jeep Compass to Illinois.

Despite assurances from Stellantis CEO Anthony Filosa to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford regarding potential options for the Brampton plant, Unifor's Stellantis Council stated that they have not received any official communication about alternative production plans. "To be clear, Unifor has not been notified of any alternative plans for production at Brampton. There is no reason to treat these public statements as credible, or reliable," the council said.

The union criticized Stellantis for a lack of communication, stating they were informed only minutes before the public announcement that the latest Compass would not be produced in Brampton. Unifor described the decision as a significant breach of the collective agreement commitments made to the union and its members.

The Brampton plant has been idle for approximately 18 months, with retooling efforts halted since February. Unifor highlighted that for eight months, Stellantis representatives had assured them that the vehicle commitment to Brampton was unchanged, despite failing to provide regular updates.

On Tuesday, Stellantis revealed a $13 billion U.S. manufacturing expansion plan, which includes moving the production of the new Jeep Compass to Illinois. The previous version of the Compass is currently manufactured in Mexico.

Premier Doug Ford mentioned that he spoke with Stellantis's president about the situation, noting that the company indicated a postponement of production for a year while seeking a new model for the Brampton factory. Ford stated, "He said, 'Well, we’re going to postpone it for a year, we’re going to find a new model (for the Brampton factory).'

Additionally, Ford indicated that 1,500 of the 3,000 jobs at risk in Brampton could potentially be relocated to Windsor, where Stellantis is constructing an electric vehicle factory.

Carney also reported that Filosa mentioned the company is exploring different models for production at the Brampton plant, but emphasized that any decision would depend on trade certainty. "They’re looking at different models being produced in Brampton. That decision would be taken in the context of the finalization of the USMCA," Carney said.

The North American trade agreement, known as CUSMA, is set for renewal next year, which raises concerns about potential tariffs affecting Canadian automotive production. This announcement follows recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump and his commerce secretary regarding the Canadian auto industry.

As the situation develops, Unifor continues to advocate for the inclusion of its representatives in discussions about the future of the Brampton assembly plant.