Stellantis pausing production of Jeep Compass SUV at Brampton plant

Stellantis says it is pausing production of its next-generation electrified Jeep Compass SUV at its Brampton Assembly Plant, throwing the future of some 3,000 unionized workers into doubt.

The carmaker cites the current “dynamic environment” as part of the reassessment of its product strategy in North America.

“As a result, the Company is temporarily pausing work on the next generation Jeep Compass, including activities at the Brampton Assembly Plant,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to CityNews. “This does not change our previously announced investment plans for Brampton.” 

The statement goes on to say that production of the Jeep Compass will begin in Italy this year.

The news comes in the wake of tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump which threatens to destabilize a number of industries including the auto sector.

The statement did not say how long the pause would last but the union which represents the workers at the plant called the announcement “a matter of grave concern.”

“The company has reassured the union that vehicle production plans are still in place for Brampton, although the timing of this announcement raises very serious concerns for Unifor members both in the plant doing the retooling work and those on layoff,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne in a statement. 

Most of the workers at the plant have been off the job since last January when the retooling work started. The Brampton facility was set to resume production in 2025 with a full-capacity, three-shift operation. The union says Thursday’s announcement calls that timing into question.

“The chaos and uncertainty plaguing the North American auto industry, which is under the constant threat of tariffs and a dismantling of EV regulations from the United States, are having real-time impacts on workers and corporate decisions. We have been saying this as a union from day one that the threats are also dangerous to our economy and to Canadian jobs.”

Payne adds the impact of a delayed start at Brampton will have spill-over effects on local parts supplier firms tied to vehicle production, including the Windsor Assembly Plant, Etobicoke Casting Plant, Red Deer Parts Distribution Centre and Mississauga Parts Distribution Centre. 

In May 2022, Stellantis – the company created following the merger of Fiat Chrysler and France’s Group PSA – announced it would invest more than $3.6 billion to retool its Canadian auto plants in Windsor and Brampton to make electric vehicles.