Roshel CEO says company will not assume responsibility for Brampton plant layoffs
Roshel's chief executive stated the firm will not take on obligations related to the 2,200 workers laid off after Stellantis halted production at the Brampton assembly plant, while the company plans to redevelop the site.
Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov told CP24 Breakfast that the company will not consider assuming any responsibilities for the more than 2,200 workers laid off when Stellantis ceased operations at its Brampton assembly plant. The comment came a day after Roshel announced it would purchase the idle facility and convert it into a "new centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing."
"We are in Brampton and there is a reason we are in Brampton. Brampton is an amazing place to develop and to create a competitive business, but a competitive business cannot work by taking obligations of other companies and we are not going to even consider taking any responsibilities of anyone from previous engagements," Shimonov said.
The plant has been idle since December 2023 after Stellantis halted production of the Dodge Charger and Challenger, the last vehicles to roll off the line in 2023. In May 2022, the federal government approved $529 million in funding for Stellantis to retool its Brampton and Windsor facilities.
Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said Stellantis' decision to sell the plant does not erase its commitments to Brampton workers and she has reached out to union, corporate and provincial representatives to arrange a meeting. Roshel indicated it will not participate in those negotiations.
"We are talking about an idle plant that wasn’t operating for many years and now we have a new, much brighter future," Shimonov added, describing the company's plan to create thousands of jobs.
Unifor President Lana Payn described the sale as an "underhanded deal" that abandons workers and warned that losing vehicle production capacity is detrimental to the Canadian auto sector. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre also criticized the closure, calling it a betrayal of Canadian workers and questioning the quality and quantity of any replacement jobs.
Shimonov framed the acquisition as beneficial for the Canadian economy, emphasizing his personal investment in Canada and the company's tax contributions.
The Brampton assembly plant, opened in 1986, has a long manufacturing history and was slated for electric-vehicle production before the recent shutdown.