GM temporarily halts BrightDrop production at CAMI facility

General Motors will temporarily idle its CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, starting April 14. The move will result in temporary layoffs beginning in mid-April, followed by a production halt lasting through early October. Unifor Local 88, which represents more than 1,200 workers at the plant, confirmed the timeline.

According to the union, limited production will take place in May before operations are paused entirely to allow for retooling. GM plans to upgrade the facility in preparation for the 2026 model year of commercial electric vehicle production.

Once production resumes in October, the plant will move to a single shift schedule. This change is expected to result in the indefinite layoff of approximately 500 workers.

Unifor National President Lana Payne described the development as a significant setback for the affected employees and their communities. She called on both GM and government authorities to minimize the impact of the layoffs and support domestic automotive manufacturing.

In a statement, GM cited the adjustment as necessary to balance inventory and align output with current market demand. The company stated that it remains committed to BrightDrop and the CAMI plant, and that production of BrightDrop vehicles and EV battery assembly will continue at the site following the retooling period.

GM began BrightDrop production at CAMI in early 2023.