BYD asked about taking over Canadian Stellantis plant, mayor says

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeElectric VehiclesAutosBYD asked about taking over Canadian Stellantis plant, mayor saysThe Brampton automobile factory hasn’t produced vehicles since late 2023Author of the article:“Stellantis told me that as long as there’s tariffs on autos, there’s no business case for auto jobs in Canada,” Brampton mayor Patrick Brown said. Photo by Laura Proctor/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesChinese carmaker BYD Co. inquired about taking over an idled Stellantis NV plant in the Toronto suburbs, according to a local politician, signalling possible global interest in Canadian auto hubs in the midst of a trade battle with the United States.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountPatrick Brown, the mayor of Brampton, Ontario, said BYD approached him about six months ago to talk about making buses at the factory. Stellantis had been retooling the plant to manufacture the Jeep Compass, but the company halted that plan last year when the U.S. adopted a policy of tariffs on foreign autos.Brown said he also received inquiries from Leapmotor International, a joint venture between Zhejiang Leapmotor Technology Co. and Stellantis, as well as from an Italian automaker. Bloomberg News reported in April that Stellantis was discussing options for building electric vehicles in Canada with Leapmotor.Get the latest headlines, breaking news and columns.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Top Stories will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againMost of the vehicles Canada produces are exported to the U.S., but the trade war and the lack of a new product earmarked for the 40-year-old factory have clouded the future for thousands of people who work there. Unifor, the union representing those workers, said this month that Stellantis is considering selling the plant.“If the U.S. takes a position that causes us to no longer be able to be a partner with them on autos, there is a world of possibilities,” Brown said. “There are global companies that want Canadian manpower.”Stellantis said it had nothing to announce at this time. “Our focus remains on finding a sustainable manufacturing solution for Brampton Assembly,” spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin said in an email.Representatives for BYD did not reply to requests for comment. The Chinese company has had manufacturing in Canada before: previously it made buses in another Toronto suburb. It doesn’t currently make passenger cars or trucks anywhere in Canada or the U.S.President Donald Trump put 25 per cent tariffs on foreign cars and trucks, though for Canadian-made vehicles, the rate is lowered based on the percentage of U.S.-made components. Trump threatened last week to raise that to 50 per cent as of Jan. 1 and to put tariffs on auto parts from Canada, as tensions between the two countries boiled over.“Stellantis told me that as long as there’s tariffs on autos, there’s no business case for auto jobs in Canada,” Brown said. That’s the situation “whether it’s an eight per cent tariff, a 50 per cent tariff, or 100 per cent tariff,” he added.In January, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney struck a deal that lowered tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. The prime minister framed it as necessary because of U.S. moves to harm the Canadian auto industry, and said the government’s goal is to generate “new Chinese joint-venture investment in Canada” to “create new auto manufacturing careers for Canadian workers.”The Brampton factory hasn’t produced vehicles since late 2023. With no immediate U.S.-Canada trade deal on the horizon, “I’d have to say I have a pretty bleak prognosis” for reopening, Brown said.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Canadian defence firms Roshel Inc. and Dominion Dynamics also asked about the facility, Brown said, with Roshel interested in building light-utility armoured vehicles and Dominion in building drones. Neither company responded to a request for comment.“All these companies that came into our office expressed that some of the fundamental equipment existed in the Stellantis plant allowing for an effective transition,” Brown said.He hopes that any company taking over the space will hire at least some of the 3,000 people who made cars for Stellantis.“I’ve made it very clear that I’d like to see Unifor as part of the solution,” Brown said. “I have not heard objections to that from any of the companies, but at the end of the day, these are all competitive, for-profit businesses.”We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.