US automaker General Motors will stop and then reduce production of its BrightDrop electric delivery van at the Ingersoll, Ontario, assembly plant, initiating layoffs of nearly 500 workers, according to Canada's private sector union Unifor.
GM will begin temporary layoffs on 14 April, with workers returning in May for limited production. After that, operations will be idled until October 2025, Unifor said.
When production resumes, the plant will operate on a single shift for the foreseeable future — a reduction that will lead to the indefinite layoff of nearly 500 workers.
During the downtime, GM plans to complete retooling work to prepare the facility for production of its 2026 model-year commercial electric vehicles.
GM sold 274 BrightDrop vans in the first quarter, up 7pc from a year earlier.
While GM remains committed to the Ortario facility with planned 2026 upgrades, its future is uncertain without stronger domestic support and fair market access, according to Unifor.
"The reality is the US is creating industry turmoil," said Unifor National President Lana Payne, referring to sweeping global US tariffs. "Trump's short-sighted tariffs and rejection of electric vehicle technology is disrupting investment and freezing future order projections."
