Windsor Assembly Plant in Ontario to support production of popular vehicles
Stellantis has cleared a major workforce milestone in Windsor, Ont., hiring more than 1,000 people as it rebuilds a third shift at Windsor Assembly Plant ahead of an early‑2026 launch.
The company says the hiring drive is a key step toward creating 1,500 jobs tied to the restored shift, which will support production of new Dodge Chargers and the company’s long‑running minivan lineup.
The automaker says the decision to add the shift reflects expected demand for the SIXPACK‑powered Dodge Charger Scat Pack and Charger Daytona, alongside the Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Voyager and Grand Caravan minivans.
“Today’s announcement reinforces Canada’s critical role in Stellantis’ global operations,” Trevor Longley, president and CEO of Stellantis Canada, said in a release, nothing that Stellantis remains “confident in Canada’s talent, innovation and manufacturing strength,” according to the same announcement.
Operational pause by Stellantis
Brampton Assembly’s future remains uncertain as Stellantis reshapes its manufacturing footprint. The company says nearly 240 Brampton Assembly Plant employees have elected to transfer to Windsor Assembly for new roles, while all other hourly workers affected by the Brampton operational pause will continue to receive 70 per cent of their salary along with health benefits, according to its hiring announcement.
The retooling of the Brampton Assembly Plant was paused in February after the United States introduced a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian‑made vehicles imported into the U.S., Canadian HR Reporter noted. Earlier this year, Stellantis announced it was laying off thousands of workers in Canada in the wake of the tariff decision, according to Canadian HR Reporter.
Stellantis says it currently employs about 10,000 people in Canada across its plants, Automotive Research and Development Centre, and business and distribution operations. Since 2022, the company reports investing $7.9 billion in Canadian projects that are complete or near completion, including 600 new engineering roles at the research centre and 1,100 jobs at NextStar Energy since 2023, according to the hiring announcement.
Windsor union highlights cautious ramp‑up
On the plant floor, Unifor Local 444 is managing both newcomers and transfers. The local represents roughly 4,500 workers at Windsor Assembly and another 1,250 at feeder plants, AM 800 reported.
Local 444 president James Stewart said the current figures include “an additional 250 employees from the Stellantis Brampton Assembly Plant who are transferring to Windsor” after the company’s fall decision to move Jeep Compass production to the United States, affecting thousands of positions at Brampton. He stressed that both new hires and transferees are undergoing extensive preparation.
“All their safety certifications are up to snuff, and their WHMIS [Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System] courses are up to snuff. We're doing that now, and then they'll be introduced to the plant,” Stewart told AM 800. He added that some are already on site, “learning jobs, learning the areas they're going to, getting familiar with layouts, and ultimately ready to go when the plant comes online in the new year.”
Despite the momentum, Stewart said there is still room to grow. He told AM 800 there is space for “a couple hundred more hires,” but emphasized that Stellantis is deliberately pacing its recruitment. According to Stewart, the company wants to ensure Brampton workers who wish to transfer are accommodated before hiring too far beyond its needs, a strategy he described as “hiring on the conservative side.”
Broader Canadian footprint
Stellantis says its presence in Canada stretches back more than a century, during which it has helped shape the national auto industry and maintained a continuous manufacturing presence. The company frames its current wave of investment as an extension of that history, arguing in its announcement that it is “leading the future of advanced automotive production” from a base built over generations.
The automaker also points to its broader North American brand portfolio—Chrysler, Dodge//SRT, Jeep, Ram, Alfa Romeo, FIAT and Maserati—as evidence of its reach. According to its corporate overview, Stellantis will mark 100 years of influencing automotive culture and industry in both Canada and the united states in 2025, a milestone it says reinforces its long‑term commitments in the region.
As Windsor ramps up, Stellantis maintains it is working “constructively” with government partners, labour organizations and other stakeholders to strengthen Canadian operations and secure long‑term employment, according to its Windsor announcement. The company identifies support for Brampton Assembly workers as a key focus in that effort.
