Stellantis Shifts Jeep Production from Brampton to Illinois

URGENT UPDATE: Stellantis has just announced a significant shift in its production strategy, moving Jeep manufacturing previously slated for the Brampton Assembly Plant in Ontario to Illinois. This decision comes as part of a broader plan to boost U.S. production by 50 percent over the next four years, according to the union representing autoworkers, Unifor.

The announcement follows comments from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, indicating a push by the Trump administration to terminate vehicle assembly in Canada and relocate those jobs to the United States. Unifor is calling on both provincial and federal governments to take immediate action to retain vehicle investment in Brampton and utilize “every lever of influence at their disposal” to safeguard Canadian jobs.

Earlier this year, Stellantis paused work in Brampton to retool the plant for both electric and gas versions of the Jeep Compass, with production initially expected to resume in the fourth quarter of 2025. Prime Minister Mark Carney has stated that his government is actively collaborating with Unifor and Stellantis to devise measures aimed at protecting the workforce and creating new employment opportunities in and around Brampton.

In a social media post released late Tuesday, Carney emphasized, “We have further made clear that we expect Stellantis to fulfill the undertakings they have made to the workers of Brampton.” He highlighted that today’s decision is a direct result of existing U.S. tariffs and potential future trade actions, underscoring the unstable trade environment affecting the North American auto sector.

As the situation develops, the upcoming review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) will be critical in determining future investments in the automotive industry. For now, the focus remains on mitigating impacts on workers in Brampton and ensuring that Canadian jobs are not lost in this significant shift.

Stay tuned as we continue to follow this urgent story and its implications for workers, the auto industry, and trade relations between Canada and the United States.