OTTAWA — The Canadian federal government is starting a dispute resolution process with Stellantis regarding the company's decision to move production of a new Jeep model to the United States. Industry Minister Melanie Joly announced this development on Monday, stating that the government aims to compel Stellantis to provide a plan for its Brampton facility. Joly made the announcement during her testimony before a parliamentary committee focused on industry. The committee had summoned her to discuss the government's efforts to preserve 3,000 jobs at the Brampton assembly plant, which was slated to manufacture the Jeep Compass model. After her testimony, Joly explained that the government believes there has been a violation of its contract with Stellantis. The Liberal government, along with the Ontario government, has previously signed multi-billion-dollar subsidy agreements with Stellantis, which Joly defended as being linked to actual vehicle production. The job protection terms of these contracts have not yet been made public, as they are still under review by another parliamentary committee. Conservative industry critic Raquel Dancho criticized Joly's responses during the questioning, claiming she was evasive about whether job commitments had been secured for the Brampton plant. Dancho expressed concern for families in the area who may face job losses, stating they “won’t be reassured.” In response to the situation, a Stellantis spokesperson confirmed that the company is actively collaborating with the government to develop a plan for the Brampton facility. The spokesperson emphasized that the Brampton Assembly Plant has not been closed and that no jobs have been lost, noting it is currently on an operational pause. The spokesperson added, “We have robust supports in place to help mitigate the effects of this decision and are offering transfer opportunities at other Stellantis facilities whenever possible.” The situation continues to evolve as both the government and Stellantis work towards a resolution.