Stellantis’ decision to restart a third production shift at its Windsor Assembly Plant, announced late last week, will add over 1,700 jobs and restore the facility to 24-hour operations.
Starting February 17, 2026, the plant will employ around 6,000 workers, marking its highest staffing levels since the third shift was eliminated in mid-2020.
The expansion is part of a broader $7.9 billion investment strategy in Canada led by Stellantis since 2022. This capital has focused on modernizing manufacturing capabilities and transitioning toward electric vehicle (EV) production.
The additional shift is designed to meet rising demand for Stellantis’ core Windsor-built products. The facility serves as the exclusive global production home for the 2026 Dodge Charger lineup, which was recently named the North American Car of the Year. Production will include the Dodge Charger SIXPACK as well as the Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The plant also continues to build the Chrysler Pacifica, Grand Caravan and Voyager minivans.
The new shift consists of 1,700 newly trained employees, the majority of whom are represented by Unifor Local 444. Of the new workers, 250 are transfers from the Brampton Assembly Plant, which is currently undergoing an operational pause.
Operations will now run across three shifts — midnight, day and afternoon — in all major sectors: Body-in-White (BIW) and Paint, General Assembly and Material Handling. According to Stellantis, the plant is now synchronized to produce a new vehicle roughly every minute.
Stellantis remains Canada’s largest automotive employer, with a nationwide workforce of some 10,000 employees. Beyond the assembly line, the company has added 650 engineering roles at its Automotive Research and Development Centre (ARDC) in Windsor.
"Launching the new third shift is a significant milestone," said Trevor Longley, President and CEO of Stellantis Canada. "This investment reinforces our commitment to Canadian manufacturing and expands our capacity during a period of real momentum."