The planned sale of Stellantis’s idled Brampton assembly plant is raising hopes for nearby businesses while leaving some laid-off workers uncertain about whether they will find a place in its next chapter.

Canadian armoured-vehicle maker Roshel Inc. announced Monday that it would buy the facility and equipment for an undisclosed amount. CBC News reporter Isha Bhargava spoke with workers, business owners and local leaders about the proposed change in ownership.

For Shelly Lewis, who runs Shelly’s Kitchen on Chrysler Drive, renewed activity at the plant could bring back customers lost when production stopped in 2023. She told CBC she has had to lay off an employee and has struggled to pay bills in some months.

“The Stellantis plant made business for me because I had staff at all hours come in and I had lots of specials,” Lewis said.

More than 2,000 workers were laid off when Stellantis halted operations to retool the plant for Jeep production. That plan was paused in early 2025.

Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov said the company plans to employ thousands of people and give first priority to workers who lost their jobs at the Brampton facility.

But former Stellantis worker Baltej Bajwa told CBC the sale extinguished his hope of returning to his old workplace under the automaker. He welcomed Roshel’s offer of employment opportunities while questioning how many former workers its production needs would accommodate.

“Any hope that we had of potentially coming back when we heard the news kind of just got shattered,” Bajwa said.

The sale has also drawn criticism from political and union leaders. Unifor national president Lana Payne called it an “unacceptable outcome” and the “worst-case scenario” for members.

Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said Stellantis had benefited from public financial support tied to Canadian production. Stellantis said in a statement that it would voluntarily repay the subsidies.

Jaipaul Massey-Singh, CEO of the Brampton Board of Trade, offered a more optimistic assessment of the plant’s future. He told CBC that surrounding businesses had lost orders, cut staff and reduced hours after production stopped.

He welcomed the prospect of employment and economic activity returning to the property, saying the effects would extend beyond the plant itself.

Lewis shares that hope: “I’m happy that something else will be there again because they’ll have people working there again.”

Sources