Ford warns that the company must fulfill its promise to Ontario.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is threatening to sue General Motors for breaking its contract following the automaker’s announcement that it will discontinue the BrightDrop electric delivery plant, affecting 1,200 jobs.
According to the National Observer, Ford spoke to reporters at Queen’s Park and expressed his disappointment with GM’s decision, warning the company that it must fulfill its promise to find a new use for the CAMI plant.
“If they breach their contract, we’re going to sue them, simple as that,” Ford said to reporters. “They know they breached a contract, and we’re going to make sure we get another vehicle in that area.”
Ford noted that GM told him the BrightDrop vans weren’t selling (I’ve only ever seen one in use, so that’s obvious), and that approximately 4,000 of the electric vans were sitting unsold.
In its press release, GM stated that the electric van market was developing much more slowly than expected, and the demand for electric vans had fallen way short of expectations. In fact, production at the plant had been running below capacity since 2022.
Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie told the Canadian National Observer that the automaker’s decision is devastating, stating, “There are 1,200 families now in a much worse situation than before.” A small note: Ingersoll has a population of roughly 13,000-14,000 people.
Petrie has said that the impact will ripple beyond the CAMI plant and affect restaurants, stores, and suppliers across southwestern Ontario. Petrie also stated that he had only received a courtesy call from the automaker shortly before the news was released to the public.
Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli’s office responded to Canada’s National Observer via email, stating that the government is in close contact with General Motors and Unifor following the announcement. Fedeli’s press secretary, Jennifer Cunliffe, noted that the province will utilize every available tool, including the C$20 million Protect Ontario Workers Employment Response program, to support the affected workers.
Source: National Observer
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