A Stellantis executive faced questioning from lawmakers on Wednesday regarding whether previous substantial subsidy agreements made with the federal government included commitments to retain Canadian automotive jobs, as government officials have consistently stated.
During his testimony at a House of Commons committee, Jeff Hines, the former president of Stellantis Canada, emphasized the company’s dedication to the Canadian automotive industry but avoided directly confirming the existence of job protection clauses in past agreements.
Hines asserted, “We are dedicated to our workforce in Brampton and Canada. The specifics of previous contracts are confidential, but we are committed to preserving jobs in Canada.”
The scrutiny follows criticism of Stellantis’ decision to relocate production of the Jeep Compass from Brampton, Ontario, to the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, leaving Brampton employees uncertain about their future.
Recently appointed as the head of North America fleet solutions at Stellantis, Hines previously served as the company’s president for Canada. Stellantis, known for brands like Dodge and Chrysler, has approximately 9,000 employees in Canada and plans to hire an additional 1,500 in Windsor, Ontario.
Hines disclosed that the company has invested $8.6 billion in Canada since 2022 and aims to further expand its operations in the country. However, he highlighted economic and trade uncertainties that could impact the company’s future decisions.
Appearing before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry and Technology, Hines discussed the ongoing emergency study on the automotive sector and the federal government’s financial agreements with Stellantis following the developments at the Brampton plant.
While Stellantis reaffirmed its commitment to the Brampton facility, which had around 3,000 workers before the temporary shutdown for retooling, Hines mentioned that the company is evaluating various options for the site based on the prevailing economic conditions.
Acknowledging the influence of U.S. tariffs on the decision to shift production of the Jeep Compass, Hines emphasized that multiple factors contributed to the relocation. He assured that Stellantis is exploring solutions to ensure long-term sustainability for the affected Brampton employees.
Despite government claims that Stellantis agreed to maintain its Canadian operations, including the Brampton and Windsor facilities, as part of a substantial federal-provincial deal, an analysis of the documents did not reveal explicit guarantees, and the federal government did not respond to inquiries.
Regarding the Windsor Assembly Plant, Hines assured Conservative MP Kathy Borrelli that Stellantis intends to sustain its footprint in Windsor, emphasizing the company’s excitement about potential expansions and job creations at the NextStar EV Battery Plant in the region.
The committee was scheduled to hear from other industry stakeholders, including the president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association and representatives from Unifor, a union representing workers in the automotive sector.