Ontario Premier Slams Trump After Stellantis Announces Move of Production from Canada to US

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Wednesday called for economic retaliation against the United States after auto giant Stellantis announced it would move planned production of its Jeep Compass from Brampton, Ontario, to Illinois.

Ford blamed US President Donald Trump for the decision, which comes as the company plans a $13 billion expansion of its manufacturing operations in the US. “That guy, President Trump, he’s a real piece of work,” Ford said. “I’m sick and tired of rolling over. We need to fight back.”

The premier urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to impose tariffs if Canada fails to secure a new trade deal with Washington. The two countries are currently negotiating to reduce tariffs, with Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc in Washington this week for talks. Carney left the US capital last week without reaching an agreement.

Carney said Stellantis’s move was a direct consequence of Trump’s tariffs and vowed to work with the company to create new opportunities for affected workers in Brampton. He also warned that Ottawa expects Stellantis to honor its commitments to Canadian employees and is prepared to take legal action if necessary.

Federal Industry Minister Mélanie Joly called the production shift “unacceptable,” noting that Stellantis had pledged Canadian manufacturing in exchange for substantial financial support. “Anything short of fulfilling that commitment will be considered a default under our agreements,” she wrote to the company’s CEO.

The decision has sparked anxiety across Ontario, where the auto industry is a cornerstone of the economy. The sector is Canada’s second-largest export, employing 125,000 people directly and nearly half a million more in related industries.

“Stellantis is bowing to the Trump administration with this pledge of massive investments in the US,” Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown told CBC. “If this bullying tactic works, it could spread to other automakers and industries.”

Stellantis had shuttered its Brampton assembly plant in 2023, laying off around 3,000 workers as it retooled the facility. Employees received a robocall on Wednesday confirming that expected new production would not be returning. The company said it will instead reopen its Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois to expand US Jeep production, creating thousands of new American jobs.

Vito Beato, president of Unifor Local 1285, which represents Brampton workers, said the announcement was unexpected since Stellantis had previously promised to produce the Jeep Compass in Ontario.

Stellantis said it remains committed to investing in Canada, noting plans to add a third shift at its Windsor, Ontario, assembly plant and ongoing discussions with the government about Brampton’s future.

Carney, who came to power earlier this year amid rising trade tensions with Trump’s administration, has sought to ease relations ahead of next year’s review of the US-Mexico-Canada trade pact. However, Ford insisted Canada must now respond forcefully. “That’s the only thing this person understands,” he said, referring to Trump. Ford is scheduled to meet with Carney later this week.