General Motors to Lay Off 500 Workers at Ingersoll CAMI Plant

General Motors will temporarily shut down production at its CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll starting this month, triggering a wave of layoffs that could impact hundreds of families in the region.

Unifor Local 88, which represents over 1,200 workers at the facility, confirmed that GM will begin issuing temporary layoffs on April 14. Workers are expected to return in May for a brief period of limited production, but the plant will then idle completely until October.

GM clarified that the decision is driven by “market demand and inventory levels” for the BrightDrop electric delivery vans—not by external factors such as U.S. tariffs. In a statement, the company said it remains committed to the CAMI plant and its BrightDrop EV lineup.

“GM is making operational and employment adjustments to balance inventory and align production schedules with current demand,” the statement reads. “We remain committed to the future of BrightDrop and CAMI, and will support employees through this transition.”

The automaker plans to use the downtime to retool the facility for the upcoming 2026 model year of commercial electric vehicles. However, once production resumes in October, the plant will shift to a single shift operation, resulting in the indefinite layoff of nearly 500 workers.

Unifor National President Lana Payne described the news as “a crushing blow” for working families across Ingersoll and surrounding areas.

“General Motors must do everything in its power to mitigate job loss during this downturn, and all levels of government must step up to support Canadian auto workers and Canadian-made products,” Payne urged.

CAMI workers had ratified a new two-year collective agreement in September 2023, securing wage increases, additional paid holidays, and signing bonuses. That agreement remains in effect until September 2026.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre voiced concern on social media, noting he had spoken with Unifor Local 88 GM Plant Chair Mike Van Boekel, promising to advocate for Canadian auto workers.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also weighed in, urging government agencies like Canada Post to increase procurement of electric vans produced at CAMI to help sustain demand.

Meanwhile, GM also confirmed it will lay off 200 employees at its all-electric Detroit facility, citing similar market pressures. That plant builds several flagship EV models, including the Chevrolet Silverado EV and GMC Sierra EV.

The developments underscore growing volatility in the electric vehicle market, even as automakers invest heavily in a zero-emissions future.