Trump tariff threats drive Stellantis to consider closing and selling Brampton, Ontario assembly plant

The Canadian autoworkers union Unifor announced that Stellantis informally advised it may not reopen its Brampton, Ontario assembly plant, and is considering an outright sale to a third party that is not another automaker — meaning vehicle production would permanently end. The company blamed the impact of U.S. trade tariffs, with Trump threatening 50 percent tariffs on many Canadian goods by an August 19 deadline. Approximately 2,000 union jobs at the plant and an estimated 8,000 supply-chain jobs are at risk. Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said excluding the auto industry from any trade deal would make 'no deal' preferable to a 'bad deal.' U.S. tariffs on Canadian-made vehicles have been in place since April 2025, with roughly 90 percent of Canadian auto production exported to the United States.

“The company has made it clear that the uncertainty created by the U.S. tariff threats, including the looming 50 percent deadline, has made it impossible to commit to reopening Brampton. This is a direct consequence of trade policy being wielded as a weapon against a close ally.” — Unifor national president Lana Payne, speaking at a press conference announcing Stellantis's informal advisory about the Brampton plant's future