During a parliamentary inquiry on Wednesday, a Stellantis executive faced questioning regarding whether the lucrative subsidy agreements made with the federal government in recent years included provisions to safeguard Canadian automotive jobs, a point emphasized by government officials.
Jeff Hines, the former head of Stellantis Canada, reassured a House of Commons committee about the company’s dedication to the Canadian auto industry. However, he refrained from directly confirming the existence of job protection clauses in past agreements.
“We are dedicated to our workforce in Brampton and across Canada,” Hines stated. While acknowledging that certain details of the contracts remain confidential, he affirmed the company’s commitment to preserving Canadian jobs.
Amid criticism over Stellantis’ decision to relocate production of the Jeep Compass from Brampton, Ontario, to the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, leaving employees uncertain, Hines has transitioned to the role of North America fleet solutions leader at Stellantis.
Stellantis, known for brands like Dodge and Chrysler, currently employs approximately 9,000 individuals in Canada. Hines highlighted plans to recruit an additional 1,500 workers in Windsor, Ontario, emphasizing the company’s substantial $8.6 billion investments in the country since 2022.
Speaking before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, Hines addressed concerns about the Brampton facility, which temporarily closed for retooling and previously employed around 3,000 workers.
While exploring various options for Brampton’s future, Hines cited economic uncertainties as a key consideration and acknowledged the impact of U.S. tariffs on the decision to shift Jeep production to the United States.
Stellantis is actively exploring solutions to support laid-off Brampton workers, offering transfer opportunities and aiming to establish a sustainable long-term operation. Government officials have indicated that Stellantis committed to maintaining its Canadian presence as part of a multibillion-dollar deal to construct the nation’s first electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor.
Despite CBC News finding no explicit job retention guarantees in the analyzed documents, Hines affirms the company’s intent to maintain operations in Windsor. He highlighted the successful hiring at the NextStar EV Battery Plant in Windsor and expressed enthusiasm for future expansions, including the addition of a third shift.
The parliamentary committee also anticipated testimonies from Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President Flavio Volpe and representatives from Unifor, the union representing workers at Stellantis and other major automakers in Canada.