Unifor says Stellantis shifting Brampton Jeep production to Illinois amid major U.S. expansion

Canada’s largest private sector union says vehicle production planned for Stellantis’ Brampton assembly plant will be moved to Illinois as part of a major U.S. expansion.

Unifor confirmed Tuesday that the relocation is part of a US$13-billion strategy by Stellantis to increase its American manufacturing output by 50 per cent over the next four years. The automaker’s announcement followed comments from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who said the Trump administration aims to move auto assembly jobs from Canada to the United States.

Unifor national president Lana Payne said the decision raises concerns about Canada’s automotive future and urged federal and provincial leaders to make saving the Brampton facility a top economic priority. The plant, which currently builds Dodge and Chrysler models, employs thousands of workers in the Greater Toronto Area.

The federal government has not yet commented on the planned production shift, though industry observers say it could test Canada’s ability to remain competitive in North America’s electric and hybrid vehicle manufacturing landscape.