The future of Brampton\u2019s long-troubled Stellantis assembly plant has taken another dramatic turn, with the union representing workers saying the automaker is now seriously considering permanently closing and selling the facility.<\/p>\n
Unifor national president Lana Payne said Friday the union was informed by Stellantis on Wednesday that the company is considering the closure and sale of the Brampton Assembly Plant.<\/p>\n
Payne said Stellantis has not yet provided the union with the formal written notice required under its collective agreement.<\/p>\n
Under the agreement, the company is required to provide the union with at least one year\u2019s notice of a plant closure or sale, she said.<\/p>\n
According to Payne, Stellantis has indicated it intends to begin discussions with another company about a potential sale of the Brampton facility.<\/p>\n
Recently, Canadian defence contractor Roshel said it is eyeing the idle Stellantis assembly plant as a potential site for a large manufacturing expansion, a move triggered by the company\u2019s bid for a lucrative multibillion-dollar federal military vehicle contract.<\/p>\n
The development comes after years of uncertainty surrounding the future of the massive plant at 2000 Williams Parkway.<\/p>\n
The facility was taken offline for a planned retooling in 2024, with Stellantis originally intending to resume production with the Jeep Compass. Those plans were subsequently put on hold, and in October 2025 the automaker announced that Compass production intended for Brampton would instead be moved to Illinois.<\/p>\n
More than 3,000 workers lost their jobs when the Brampton plant closed.<\/p>\n
The latest development raises the possibility that the plant could remain permanently idle.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo say that we are disappointed would be an understatement,\u201d Payne said. \u201cThis is a gut punch to our union and to our members.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Brampton Assembly Plant has been an important part of the city\u2019s economy for more than four decades. Along with the 3,000 workers at the plant, thousands of additional jobs are connected to the broader automotive supply chain.<\/p>\n
And the potential sale comes just months after Brampton city council took steps specifically aimed at preventing the property from being converted to another use.<\/p>\n
In February, council unanimously approved a motion to amend the city\u2019s planning rules to designate the land for automotive assembly and related automotive manufacturing uses. The motion was brought forward by Mayor Patrick Brown and Regional Councillor Gurpartap Singh Toor.<\/p>\n
At the time, the city said the move was intended to protect automotive manufacturing and high-value jobs in Brampton. That plan would fit the operational ideas that Roshel has in mind for the plant.<\/p>\n
Unifor welcomed that decision, with Payne calling the permanent designation of existing automotive lands for vehicle manufacturing \u201csmart industrial policy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The union has continued to push for the Brampton plant to reopen. As recently as February, Unifor Local 1285 president Vito Beato said the union remained committed to holding Stellantis accountable and getting workers back on the job.<\/p>\n
The latest news also comes as Unifor prepares to negotiate a new collective agreement with Stellantis. The current agreement expires September 20, 2026, and negotiations include workers at the Brampton Assembly Plant, Windsor Assembly Plant and Etobicoke Casting Plant.<\/p>\n
Stellantis had not immediately responded to requests for comment on the union\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n
The potential closure and sale would represent a major blow to Brampton\u2019s automotive sector and another setback for a plant that was once expected to play a key role in Stellantis\u2019 transition to electric and hybrid vehicle production.<\/p>\n