Officials in Ontario are hoping that an upcoming meeting with the CEO of Stellantis could help buy some time to explore options for keeping auto manufacturing jobs at a Brampton facility slated to be sold off.
“What Unifor asked for when all of this first began, they said, ‘Don’t close the plant; keep it warm,’ Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli told reporters Friday.
He said that will be the aim of an upcoming meeting of federal and provincial officials with Stellantis Global CEO Antonio Filosa.
Fedeli made the comment while touring the Martinrea automotive factory in Vaughan with his federal counterpart, Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, who said yesterday that she was “fed up” with Stellantis.
“So our job, (Minister Joly), Premier Ford, myself, is to meet with the global CEO now and show them: ‘Here are some suggestions. Here are the supports that we have. What we really want from you is to buy some time,’” Fedeli said, adding that once automotive jobs leave a plant, they tend not to return.
Stellantis announced on Nov. 9 that it would sell off the Brampton assembly plant, which used to make Chrysler vehicles. The plant was shut down in 2023 so that it could be retooled to make electric Jeep vehicles, but the company paused the plan and the plant never reopened. More than 2,200 workers have been on lay-off pay since then.
Joly maintains Stellantis will have to repay the federal government hundreds of millions of dollars for federal subsidies it received if it closes the plant and follows through on its planned sale to armoured vehicle manufacturer Roshel. She has said she is ready to sue the company to recover the money.
Stellantis has offered to repay just $24 million for the plant closure.
“Our position is clear: they cannot close the plant,” Joly said Friday. “We said that if they would, we would sue them. That is why I sent a letter of notice yesterday, and they’re on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, we will work with the union, with (Unifor President) Lana Payne, to find good jobs for the Stellantis workers because we want the Brampton plant to reopen.”
Joly has given the company 30 days to “correct” the conditions she says bring it in violation of its funding agreement with the government.
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Joly clarified the government cannot block the sale of the plant under the Investment Canada Act since Stellantis is operating through its Canadian subsidiary.
“So the levers we have is actually through the fact that they came to see us for money to support their investments in key facilities in Brampton, in Windsor, and also in the battery plant, and so that’s why we have that lever,” Joly said. “And at the same time, we’re putting an aggressive package on the table because we want Stellantis to keep the plant open.”
In a tweet, Conservative MP Kyle Seeback accused Joly of “gaslighting,” saying she could have prevented the plant’s sale by taking legal action months ago.
“Plus senior officials from her office were in the meetings finalizing the sale!” he wrote, referring to a CTV report that Joly’s senior staff met with Roshel as far back as August.
When it comes to provincial money, Fedeli said the province has not provided any for the Stellantis facility in Brampton to date.
“Our investment in Brampton is zero at this time. We have not advanced any funds to Brampton. Period,” he said. “So our scenarios are a little different.
“In our contract (with Stellantis) in Windsor so far, we’ve advanced $55 million, and they have honoured all their commitments. They have built the plant that they said they would build. They have hired the employees that they said they would hire. Their contract with us for the work in Windsor is up to date.”
Speaking with CP24, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said both governments have fumbled when it comes to protecting the auto sector, but she supports exploring options to keep the plant open.
“I would say all levels of government have failed to protect those jobs and hold Stellantis to their word. But we cannot allow a perfectly good auto plant to be closed down,” Stiles said. “So yes, we have to continue to see what we can do, what levers we could use to stop the sale, and what we can do to bring good union jobs back to this plant.”
However she added that any further incentives need to come with “strong strings attached.”
Fedeli and Joly used the appearance in Vaughan to tout a joint federal-provincial investment in a Honda plant in Aliston, Ont.
Honda is making an initial $166 million investment as part of a broader $867-million commitment. Of that total, the federal government will provide $313 million, while the Ontario government will chip in $156 million.
With files from CTV News and The Canadian Press
