General Motors announced on Tuesday that it will cease production of its BrightDrop electric delivery van at the CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario. This decision raises concerns about the future of the plant and its approximately 1,000 employees. Kristian Aquilina, president and managing director of GM Canada, stated, "The decision to end production of the BrightDrop electric delivery van is driven by market demand and in no way reflects the commitment and skill of our workforce at CAMI." He emphasized that the company is committed to working closely with employees, the Unifor union, and government officials as they assess the next steps for the plant. The BrightDrop was the only vehicle being manufactured at the Ingersoll facility, which previously produced the Equinox SUV. The plant has been idle since May and was expected to resume production in November. Ingersoll Mayor Brian Petrie expressed his dismay at the announcement, calling it "devastating" for the community of 14,000 residents. He received the news from GM shortly before it was made public. "I got a call at 7 a.m., so it was a bit of notice, but it was still devastating," he said. Petrie noted that many workers were looking forward to returning to their jobs, and the news was particularly hard for those who had already faced significant challenges. "I know how devastating this is for people. They’ve been through hell already," he said. Flavio Volpe, CEO of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, expressed concern that the CAMI plant may never reopen. He stated, "I think this is very likely the end of production at Ingersoll," attributing the plant's struggles to GM's earlier decision to move Equinox production to the U.S. Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, the union representing CAMI workers, criticized the impact of dwindling electric vehicle sales and tariffs on the BrightDrop. She stated, "The reality is that CAMI was hit from both directions by Trump as he aggressively acted to undo EV supports and hit Canadian auto assembly plants with a 25 percent tariff." Mike Van Boekel, president of Unifor Local 88, voiced frustration over the decision, saying, "We have a lot of members with decades of dedication to GM who are now abandoned. These are highly skilled workers who delivered for this company and this community. They deserve a future at CAMI — not a dead end." Federal Industry Minister Melanie Joly commented on the situation, stating that GM's decision was different from Stellantis's recent move to shift Jeep Compass production to the U.S. She noted, "It’s two completely different situations. Stellantis had an obligation to bring production back to the Brampton plant and they failed that obligation." Despite the challenges, Aquilina reassured that GM remains committed to its Canadian operations. "Our Canadian operations continue to be a critical part of GM and our North America business," he said. "For more than 100 years, GM has been designing, engineering and building vehicles in Canada and we intend to keep doing so." This story is still developing as more information becomes available.