General Motors is shutting down production at its CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, with hundreds of layoffs set to begin next week, as the automaker responds to softening demand for its BrightDrop electric delivery vans.
The move, which GM says is unrelated to U.S. tariffs, will see operations at the plant halt starting April 14, with a full production pause expected to last until October. When work resumes, it will be on a single shift—a cutback that Unifor estimates will leave nearly 500 workers indefinitely laid off.
“This is a crushing blow to hundreds of working families in Ingersoll and the surrounding region who depend on this plant,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “General Motors must do everything in its power to mitigate job loss during this downturn, and all levels of government must step up to support Canadian auto workers and Canadian-made products.”
The company framed the move as a response to market dynamics rather than a structural shift. “GM is making operational and employment adjustments to balance inventory and align production schedules with current demand,” the automaker said in a statement, adding that it remains committed to the BrightDrop program and the future of the CAMI facility.
Workers will return in May for a short stint of limited production before the plant is idled for retooling ahead of the 2026 model year. GM began building the BrightDrop van at the Ingersoll plant in early 2023, positioning it as a key pillar in its commercial EV strategy.
The CAMI shutdown comes on the heels of a similar announcement at GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant, where the company confirmed Thursday it was laying off about 200 workers to “align with market dynamics.” That facility produces the Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Hummer EV SUV and pickup, and the all-electric Escalade IQ.
Political leaders were quick to respond to the Ontario job losses. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the federal Conservative Party, said he spoke with Unifor Local 88 and pledged his support for Canadian auto workers. Ontario Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, called on public agencies like Canada Post to step up orders for the electric vans built at CAMI to help preserve jobs.
Unifor Local 88 represents roughly 1,200 workers at the CAMI facility, many of whom voted last September in favour of a two-year contract that included wage increases, bonuses, and new paid holidays. That agreement is set to expire in September 2026.
While GM has maintained that it remains committed to BrightDrop, the pause underscores the challenges facing automakers trying to scale up commercial EVs—especially in a market where fleet demand has yet to fully materialize.