General Motors has announced the elimination of a shift at its Oshawa, Ontario plant, starting in January 2026. This decision is expected to affect approximately 750 workers and risks impacting hundreds of other jobs in the regional supply chain.
In parallel, GM is increasing production in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where 250 temporary positions have just been created to meet the growing demand for the Chevrolet Silverado.
U.S. tariffs blamed
GM’s jobs realignment comes in a context where U.S. tariffs on imported vehicles and parts are distorting competitiveness between Canada and the United States, according to several experts.
The plants in Oshawa, Fort Wayne and Silao in Mexico all produce light-duty Silverado trucks. The Fort Wayne plant also assembles GMC Sierras, while Oshawa manufactures both light-duty and heavy-duty models.
Union reactions on both sides of the border
In Fort Wayne, Rich LeTourneau, bargaining chairman for UAW (United Auto Workers) Local 2209, stated that the decision was not driven by the union but is seen as a way to stabilize employment.
In Oshawa, Jeff Gray, president of Unifor Local 222, emphasizes that the relationship between the two plants remains competitive, but he denounces an uneven playing field.
Continued turbulence
The Oshawa plant, once the heart of GM's Canadian operations, has already been through several crises in the past decade. Closed in 2019 after its end was announced in 2018, it reopened in 2021 thanks to a $1.2 billion investment for truck production.
Today, the manufacturing sector represents only 3 percent of jobs in Oshawa, a far cry from its historical level as a vital local employer. In Fort Wayne, meanwhile, GM remains the third-largest employer in the region but faces labour challenges. LeTourneau mentioned absenteeism rates reaching 22 percent, perhaps reflecting a shift in the expectations of younger workers.