Sources inside the government have confirmed that a General Motors plant in Oshawa, Ont., is set to close.
It's unclear how many employees will lose their jobs, since this is part of a larger global restructuring plan, the sources said.
In a statement, Unifor, the union representing auto workers at the plant, said they have not heard "complete details of the overall announcement" but were told that no cars are set to be assembled at the plant past December 2019.
"Based on commitments made during 2016 contract negotiations, Unifor does not accept this announcement and is immediately calling on GM to live up to the spirit of that agreement," the statement reads.
The union said it would be holding talks with General Motors tomorrow.
"We have no news or comment tonight and won't be commenting to others on speculation," a spokesperson for GM said on Sunday.
The plant, a 45 minute drive east of Toronto, produces cars such as the Chevrolet Impala, the Cadillac XTS and the Buick Regal.
According to GM's website, the Oshawa Assembly Plant employs 2,522 workers with Unifor Local 222. Production began on Nov. 7, 1953. In the 1980s, the plant employed roughly 23,000 people.
Oshawa Mayor John Henry said he hopes the news is "just a rumour," and adds that he had not spoken to anyone from GM.
"It's going to affect the province, it's going to affect the region ... The auto industry's been a big part of the province of Ontario for over 100 years," Henry said.
Unifor national president Jerry Dias said in April that the Oshawa complex was headed for closure in June of this year. But he noted the former head of GM Canada, Steve Carlisle, was determined it wouldn't close on his watch.
Carlisle was moved that month to head Cadillac, the global automaker's luxury car division as part of a management rotation.
At the time of the transfer, Dias said Carlisle's appointment to head Cadillac would raise his profile and influence within GM's headquarters in Detroit, and that "would be a huge benefit for us."
The Oshawa operation became a talking point for U.S. President Donald Trump during Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, according to a Toronto Star report about an off-the-record aside during an interview with Bloomberg News over the summer.
"Every time we have a problem with a point, I just put up a picture of a Chevrolet Impala," the U.S. president was reported to have said.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gm-oshawa-plant-1.4920241