Stellantis missed a federal hearing on $1B in taxpayer funding for Brampton, Windsor plants.
MPs expressed frustration, demanding transparency over redacted contracts and job commitments.
Ottawa may sue Stellantis for shifting Jeep production to the U.S. despite Canadian subsidies.
Stellantis NV did not appear last Tuesday before a federal parliamentary committee tasked with examining over $1 billion in government funding linked to the company’s now-idled assembly plant in Brampton, Ont., prompting criticism from Members of Parliament across party lines.
The House of Commons standing committee on government operations and estimates was scheduled to question Stellantis and federal officials in a closed-door session after receiving redacted versions of the funding agreement. The automaker’s physical absence, virtual absence, attributed to technical difficulties by a company spokesperson, led MPs to express frustration over a lack of accountability. The committee had asked Stellantis to appear by Dec. 4 or face a summons.
Canada launches dispute process with Stellantis over Jeep production shift from Brampton to U.S.
Liberal MP Vince Gasparro called the failure to attend “unacceptable,” while Conservative MP and committee chair Kelly McCauley described it as “stupefying.” Stellantis spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin stated that Teresa Piruzza, director of external affairs and public policy, was available but unable to connect despite assistance from the committee’s technical staff.
MPs are seeking clarification on why Stellantis moved planned production of the Jeep Compass from Brampton to Belvidere, Ill., after receiving joint federal and provincial commitments of up to $1.04 billion to retool the Brampton facility and another plant in Windsor, Ont.
The federal government has threatened legal action against Stellantis and launched a formal review to determine whether the automaker breached the terms of the funding agreement. The Brampton plant ceased operations nearly two years ago, affecting about 3,000 workers. Stellantis halted retooling efforts in February, citing trade policy developments in the United States.
Stellantis Announces $13 Billion U.S. Investment, Shifts Jeep Compass from Canada
Stellantis announced in October that production of the Jeep Compass would shift to Illinois as part of a plan to increase its U.S. manufacturing output by 50% over four years.
In a statement, Gosselin said Stellantis “continues to work constructively with government partners and other stakeholders on a plan for Brampton to find viable solutions that build a sustainable, long-term future for automotive manufacturing in Canada.”
In addition to the Brampton and Windsor plant funding, Stellantis and LG Energy were granted up to $15 billion in support for the construction of the NextStar Energy battery plant in Windsor. The facility began production in October and currently employs about 1,100 people, with federal projections targeting 2,500 jobs within one year.
Source: Globe and Mail
