Approximately 1,200 Unifor Local 88 members are employed at the facility, which currently builds the BrightDrop 400 and 600 electric delivery vans and assembles EV battery modules and packs.

Following the initial shutdown, workers will return for two weeks in May for limited production before the plant halts operations again for an extended 20-week retooling period. The changes will prepare the facility for the 2026 model year of BrightDrop commercial EVs. When production resumes in October, operations will be reduced to a single shift — a move expected to impact around 450 employees.

"This is a devastating development for our members and their families," said Mike Van Boekel, Unifor Local 88 Plant Chair. “We are losing these shifts indefinitely.”

Unifor National President Lana Payne called the decision “a crushing blow” to the local community and urged GM and all levels of government to take action to minimize job losses and support Canadian auto manufacturing.

The CAMI facility reopened in late 2022 after extensive retooling and financial support from both federal and provincial governments. Despite early optimism, sales of BrightDrop vehicles have fallen short of projections, with just 1,529 units sold in 2024 — a fraction of competitors’ volumes. Pricing has been a significant barrier, with BrightDrop vans priced around $74,000, well above similar models from Ford and Rivian.

“GM remains committed to the future of BrightDrop and the CAMI plant,” the company said in a statement. “We will support employees through this transition and continue to invest in the production of electric commercial vehicles and battery assembly in Canada.”

The adjustments reflect GM’s broader strategy to rebalance inventory, respond to evolving customer demand, and ensure the long-term success of its electric vehicle initiatives.