Unifor urges Canadian action as GM halts, reduces BrightDrop EV production at CAMI Assembly Plant
INGERSOLL, ON, April 11, 2025 /CNW/ - The news of General Motors' decision to temporarily halt and then reduce production of the BrightDrop electric delivery van at CAMI Assembly Plant is devastating for Unifor members, their families, and the entire Ingersoll community.
"This is a crushing blow to hundreds of working families in Ingersoll and the surrounding region who depend on this plant," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "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 has informed Unifor that CAMI Assembly will initiate temporary layoffs starting April 14 with workers returning in May for limited production. After that, production will temporarily cease with operations idling until October 2025. During this downtime, GM plans to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of the 2026 model year of commercial electric vehicles.
When production resumes in October, the plant will operate on a single shift for the foreseeable future – a reduction that is expected to result in the indefinite layoff of nearly 500 workers.
Unifor Local 88 represents more than 1,200 workers at the CAMI Assembly Plant, where GM began BrightDrop production in early 2023.
"Our members have endured so much — from retooling disruptions to months of rotating layoffs — and now they're facing a major production slowdown and job loss," said Unifor Local 88 CAMI Plant Chairperson Mike Van Boekel. "Global demand for last-mile delivery vehicles is only growing. Our members have the skill, the experience, and the pride to build world-class electric vehicles right here in Canada — all we need is the opportunity to keep doing it."
Unifor is calling on all levels of government to seize this moment — to back Canadian workers, strengthen Canada's industrial strategy, and support Canadian-made products with procurement dollars.
"The BrightDrop electric delivery van is built in Canada by Canadian workers — it's the smart choice for Canadian business, government agencies and for our economy," added Payne. "Procurement and industrial policy go hand in hand. Now is the time for Canada to show leadership by investing in Canadian manufacturing."
While GM has indicated it remains committed to the CAMI facility, with upgrades for the 2026 model year, the immediate future remains uncertain without stronger domestic support and fair market access.
Recent actions by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles and auto parts have sent shockwaves through the industry. On top of that, Trump's efforts to weaken EV mandates, roll back emissions standards, and retreat from critical EV investment have created deep uncertainty across the North American auto sector.
"The reality is the U.S. is creating industry turmoil. Trump's short-sighted tariffs and rejection of EV technology is disrupting investment and freezing future order projections," said Payne. "This is creating an opening for China and other foreign automakers to dominate the global EV market while the North America industry risks falling behind."
"Make no mistake — the world is moving rapidly towards electrification. If Canada and the U.S. hit pause now, we may never catch up," Payne warned. "We risk surrendering our future unless we act decisively to support our own industry."
Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
SOURCE Unifor
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