Ottawa [Canada], April 12: General Motors on Friday announced a temporary shutdown of one plant in Canada with hundreds of layoffs expected.
General Motors said in a statement that its CAMI (Canadian Automotive Manufacturing Inc.) Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, will shut down next month with plans to reopen in the fall at half capacity.
General Motors said the decision is not related to U.S. tariffs but rather market demand and high inventory for the BrightDrop vehicle, adding that the reduction is expected to result in the indefinite layoff of nearly 500 workers.
CAMI Assembly, employing approximately 1,200 workers, is owned and operated by General Motors Canada to assemble the Chevrolet BrightDrop battery-electric cargo van for the North American market.
"CAMI is making operational and employment adjustments to balance inventory and align production schedules with current demand," said General Motors, vowing that the company would support employees through the transition.
Last week, automaker Stellantis confirmed it is shutting down its assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, for two weeks.
Canada is amid the tariff war against the United States. On April 3, U.S. tariffs of 25 percent on Canadian automobiles came into effect, targeting the auto industry and the more than 500,000 Canadians across the country. Canada's countermeasures came into force on April 9.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
