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Stellantis’ decision to move its operations from Brampton, Ont., to Illinois worries students and young professionals as they plan their futures in the automotive industry — a move experts and students say could further weaken Canada’s already shrinking automotive sector.
The company announced earlier this month that it will move production of the Jeep Compass to the United States in reaction to the ongoing trade war with Canada. For families with ties to the industry, the announcement was a shock, and uncertainty with their futures remains weeks later.
“I got a call from my mom and my sister, as they are both employees [. . .] and it was kind of really shocking, as my mom has been laid off since they stopped making the Charger,” said Andre Spence, an Ontario Tech University student and Stellantis employee. In 2023, Stellantis temporarily laid off almost 3,000 employees, announcing that the Brampton plant would be retooled to produce EV vehicles instead.
Spence is a third-generation Stellantis employee and says it is scary to see that there is no guarantee for work anymore. His mom worked there for 10 years.
In a City of Brampton news release on Oct. 29, Mayor Patrick Brown said City Council approved a motion that permits Council to have a role in decision-making processes that significantly impact the local economy and workforce.
Brown wrote on X that the Brampton City Council has reinforced their support for the local automotive industry and the plant’s workers.
Stellantis president Jeff Hines announced priority placement to laid-off Brampton workers in securing jobs at the new battery production plant in Windsor according to Global News. The company says it is committed to bringing a new product to replace the production of the Jeep Compass, but a long-term solution is still necessary for U.S. imposed tariffs.
Stellantis shares dropped as as the company identified one-off charges related to changes in regulation, strategy and products, which seemed to deepen investor concerns over a sector chip shortage.
“The message is not good for our automotive industry,” said Zeinab El-Sayegh, who specializes in automotive and mechatronics engineering at Ontario Tech University.
Ontario Tech University is one of Canada’s only accredited automotive engineering schools, but faculty like El-Sayegh say the Stellantis decision highlights a growing issue — there are fewer opportunities for students and young professionals once they graduate.
In the past, Stellantis has offered a variety of opportunities for students and young professionals, such as summer internships, student programs, co-ops and a summer vacation replacement program.
Spence is part of the university’s racing team. He said his peers who have had internships and worked with Stellantis-affiliated partners are facing potential job loss.
“There’s a bunch of people at this university who really want to work in this industry, who are constantly hearing information that’s talking about it not being a possible career in Canada anymore,” said Spence. “So it’s a lot of disappointment and fear, because they’re spending four years, even up to six, to get educated to do this, but now they might have to move to a different country to do it.”
El-Sayegh says students are worried about job security, with many switching from automotive engineering to mechanical in the last few years. They believe there are more opportunities in this larger field, she said. The shift the public is noticing is because it is directly affecting the workers now, said El-Sayegh.
El-Sayegh says both domestic and international students are also worried, but each with a different perspective — with the latter worrying about visas.
“It will definitely affect the program, especially internships and co-ops, which we usually offer as part of a program,” said El-Sayegh.
While opportunities are becoming fewer, El-Sayegh says she’s worried about other manufacturers drawing inspiration from Stellantis’ decision. Both Spence and El-Sayegh say the future of the automotive industry is very uncertain in Canada.
“What needs to happen should have happened years ago, not now,” said El-Sayegh. “Now it’s too late for it to happen because what we needed to do is design an independent automotive industry in Canada.”
She said this takes five to 10 years, but we can support our Canadian companies and buy and produce Canadian products.
Despite the uncertainty, Spence encourages his peers to continue in the field if they’re passionate about it. “It’s an engineering type that requires such a high level of passion [. . .] still do it, still pursue it, because you could really make a name for yourself.”
Otter.AI was used in transcribing the interviews for this story.
