General Motors shuttering production in Ingersoll

General Motors has announced an end to the production of the BrightDrop EV delivery vans in Ingersoll. The federal government said it will work closely with all parties involved to find a new vehicle to produce at the facility. Photo courtesy of Unifor

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

General Motors is ending the BrightDrop delivery van production at its CAMI plant in Ingersoll.

Employees found out this morning via a letter signed by GM Canada’s managing director, Kristian Aquilina, and plant director Bill Harkness.

“Team – today we shared some difficult news. GM has made the decision to end production of BrightDrop due to slower-than-expected market growth. This means team members at CAMI will remain on layoff. We will be assessing the site for future opportunities,” stated the letter.

GM added the vehicle’s production isn’t being moved elsewhere. Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie said today’s news was tough to take.

“They’ve been through hell for a long time now, and this is just one more nail, as they say. We have gone through a lot and I think we can get through this as well.”

On the positive side, Petrie said the plant isn’t closing, but the announcement will have wide-ranging effects on the economy.

“We know that only 10 per cent of its workforce lives in Ingersoll, but there is a reason why this is national news. This affects more than just the town.”

CAMI contributes 12 per cent of the town’s tax base, something not lost on the mayor.

“We have to prepare for that. It’s always been a rough go with taxes, but we are trying to work with GM on that to find a better solution. The premier and the prime minister had no problem showing up when times were good, announcing money; they need to show up when times are tough and help us out.”       

In April 2022, the federal government and the province each committed $259 million to GM’s facilities – including the CAMI plant in Ingersoll – to support a large-scale transformation into electric-vehicle production.

The funding was part of a broader $2-billion investment by GM to convert the CAMI plant and other Ontario facilities for EV production. The facility change was meant to make CAMI the first full-scale commercial electric-vehicle production facility in Canada.

“Obviously tough news this morning for the workers in Ingersoll,” stated Innovation, Science and Industry Minister Melanie Joly.

Joly and Oxford MP Arpan Khanna sparred during Question Period on Tuesday. Khanna said the auto sector has been hit yet again as Canada continues to be hit by U.S. tariffs.

“This adds to the 2,200 job losses in Oshawa and the 3,000 announced in Brampton. The Liberals have sold out our auto workers, so will the prime minister finally admit he has lost control of the wheel and is driving our auto sector off the cliff?”

Joly said she is looking forward to working with Khanna to find solutions and added her government will fight for the jobs of CAMI employees.

“This morning, we were already on the phone with the company to be in solution mode, with Unifor, (Premier) Doug Ford and (Ontario Minister of Economic Development) Vic Fedeli. Our goal is to bring back a new model to Ingersoll, and we’re on it.”

Khanna added he received a call from a CAMI employee Tuesday morning who said he is in dire straits financially.

“He doesn’t know how he will pay for his mortgage. He doesn’t know how he will feed his family. There is a real sense of anxiety in our community. The Liberals blew millions on EVs and now workers and their families are paying the price.”

Joly said her goal is to bring jobs back to Ingersoll and added the government will continue to work with the Americans to eliminate the unjustified tariffs against the auto sector.

Oxford MPP Ernie Hardeman said the provincial government is in close contact with GM and other labour partners.

“I know this is especially tough for our workers in Oxford, and we will be doing everything we can to support them after this disappointing announcement. GM also knows that its Ontario operations are a big part of its success, and that is why they are exploring new opportunities for the CAMI plant. We have strong safeguards in place to ensure that provincial funding delivers real results, and we will review GM’s decision closely to ensure all agreements are respected and enforced.”

Despite the announcement of the end of production in Ingersoll, Petrie is optimistic the company will be able to come up with a plan for the manufacturing facility.

“This isn’t going to get better tomorrow, that’s for sure, but GM is a great partner. When we have conversations, I know they want to be here. They’ve put a lot of investment into that plant and it’s a hard market for them with all the uncertainty. How do you make an announcement on anything right now? It’s really concerning.”

Unifor, the union representing CAMI employees, is putting the blame south of the border despite the delivery van’s slow sales.

“The reality is that CAMI was hit from both directions by Trump as he aggressively acted to undo EV supports and hit Canadian auto assembly plants with a 25 per-cent tariff,” said Unifor national president Lana Payne. “Now, more than 1,000 workers and their families are paying the price for Trump’s political interference and GM’s failure to hold the line.”

The announcement affects Unifor Local 88 members currently on layoff after the plant was idled in May. At the time, GM cited slowing commercial-EV demand, but today’s decision confirms a full end to the BrightDrop line.

“We have a lot of members with decades of dedication to GM who are now abandoned,” said Unifor Local 88 president Mike Van Boekel. “These are highly skilled workers who delivered for this company and this community. They deserve a future at CAMI – not a dead end.”

The letter given to employees said GM will work with Unifor to follow the provisions of the collective agreement, which includes full pay for the next six months and additional supports.

“Over the next days and weeks, you will have many questions. I encourage you to talk to your HR representative or Unifor representatives. …We will also support our salaried workforce during this transition,” it added.

“We want to emphasize that this decision has nothing to do with the performance of our CAMI team. You have an outstanding reputation and track record for building award-winning, high-quality vehicles and have been committed to the BrightDrop business.”

Three-hundred employees were set to return to one production shift this month