Stellantis plans 11 North American models across Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram by 2030.
Brampton has been idle since production ended on three vehicles in late 2023.
Unifor wants Stellantis to confirm a replacement program for the Ontario assembly plant.
Stellantis’ plan to add 11 models across its Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram brands by 2030 could open a path for future production at its idled Brampton Assembly Plant.
The plant, northwest of Toronto, has not produced vehicles since late 2023, when output of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 ended. Its next assignments were expected to include the Jeep Compass, but Stellantis paused retooling work and later assigned that program to Belvidere, Ill.
Stellantis’ change of heart left Brampton without a confirmed vehicle mandate and deepened concern among Unifor members represented by Local 1285. The local represents about 3,000 hourly workers at the site.
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Company spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin said the product plan creates “meaningful potential opportunities” for sites such as Brampton as Stellantis reviews future production across its Canadian manufacturing footprint.
Local president Vito Beato said the new model plan is encouraging because several products fall under brands historically linked to Brampton. He said the union wants Stellantis to identify which future vehicles could be allocated to the Canadian plant.
Unifor continues to press Stellantis to honour commitments made during 2023 contract negotiations to bring Compass production to Brampton. Beato said the union remains open to other vehicle programs, but recently rejected a company proposal to assemble Leapmotor electric vehicles from complete knockdown kits.
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Stellantis said during a May 21 investor presentation in Auburn Hills, Mich., that it hopes to raise North American revenue by 25% by 2030. The automaker is also targeting 80% capacity utilization across its regional assembly network.
The company provided limited production details for the 11 planned models, while also saying it intends to increase U.S. output over the next four years. Beato said additional American investment does not prevent Stellantis from assigning work to Canada.
Timing remains the central issue for Brampton workers. Some future models are not expected to launch until 2029 or 2030, leaving uncertainty over how long the plant could remain without production.
Source: Automotive News
