Laid-Off Workers Ready To ‘Take Over’ GM CAMI Plant, Says Union

Uncertainty surrounding the future of the GM CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario has prompted union leaders to publicly state that they are ready to physically “take over” the facility in the event that General Motors attempts to move move vehicles or equipment from it. The facility has been idle since April, at which time General Motors indicated that it intended to restart production in the fall. However, General Motors officially ended production of the all-electric Chevy BrightDrop delivery van last month, impacting roughly 1,200 union workers and leading to questions over longterm employment.

“We will physically take the plant,” said Unifor Local 88 plant chairperson Mike Van Boekel, per recent report from CBC News. General Motors, however, has reiterated its commitment to the Canadian production facility, with GM spokesperson Jennifer Wright stating that the automaker has no plans “at this time” to remove equipment from the CAMI plant. Wright added that General Motors remains focused on supporting employees while working with the Unifor labor union and government partners to evaluate potential next steps for the plant.

Earlier this week, Unifor leaders met with federal Industry Minister Melanie Joly and Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie to discuss the ongoing negotiations with General Motors over the plant’s future. Joly indicated that discussions with GM were progressing, but emphasized that decisions over investments of “a billion dollars or more” require time to hash out.

On October 21^st, General Motors announced a permanent end to BrightDrop production following lower-than-anticipated demand in the all-electric delivery statement, as well as a fluctuating U.S. regulatory environment and the loss of key U.S. EV tax credits.

“We have decided to stop BrighDrop production at CAMI assembly and assess the site for future opportunities,” said GM CEO Mary Barra during the company’s Q3 2025 earnings call. “This is not a decision we made lightly because of the impact on our employees. However, the commercial electric van market has been developing much slower than expected and changes to the regulatory framework and fleet incentives have made the business even more challenging,” she added.

For GM, the situation echoes broader EV-segment adjustments seen across the industry as automakers, including Ford and Stellantis, recalibrate their electrification strategies in response to new market realities. For CAMI workers, however, the immediate concern remains stability and what the end of BrightDrop production means for longterm employment.