What Happened to GM’s Electric Vans in Canada?

On October 21, 2025 General Motors announced that it will end production of the BrightDrop electric delivery van at CAMI Assembly in Ingersoll, Ontario, a plant that had been adjusted and then idled earlier in the year. The company said the commercial electric-van market developed more slowly than expected and that a changing regulatory environment, including the elimination of some U.S. tax credits for electric vehicles, made the business case difficult to sustain. GM added that production of BrightDrop will not be moved to another site and that the company will assess CAMI for future opportunities.

The decision affects workers who were already impacted when shifts were reduced in April and when roughly 1,200 employees were temporarily laid off as output was cut to match weak demand. GM said it will follow collective agreement provisions with Unifor; hourly employees will receive six months of salary and may get lump-sum payments as the company and governments discuss next steps. While the company framed the move as market-driven, the timing followed a string of trade and policy shifts that have reshaped North American auto planning.

Less than a week before GM’s announcement, Stellantis unveiled a $13 billion plan that includes moving production of the next-generation Jeep Compass from Brampton, Ontario, to Belvidere, Illinois, and reopening the Belvidere plant; that reallocation has prompted concern from provincial and federal leaders. The twin decisions have highlighted how industrial investment choices are being weighed against new U.S. tariff measures and changing incentives.

Consequently, Canadian officials and the Unifor union have said they will press automakers and explore options to protect jobs, and industry observers note that these developments will be taken into account during the upcoming review of North American trade rules.