One-week shutdown hits Stellantis assembly plant in Windsor
Company says closure is related to switch to 2026 vehicle production
The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant will shut down next week as the trade war with the U.S. drags on, but the company isn't pointing to tariffs as the reason behind the closure.
LouAnn Gosselin, head of communications for Stellantis in Canada, says the change relates to the plant's transition to building 2026 models.
"As the company prepares for the upcoming launch of the 2026 model year Chrysler Pacifica, Chrysler Grand Caravan/Chrysler Voyager and Dodge Charger Daytona, we are adjusting production at the Windsor Assembly Plant in order to complete the build out of the 2025 model year vehicles," Gosselin said.
The plant is closed for the week beginning May 5, and the company said it will "continue to monitor the situation."
Unifor Local 444, which represents workers at the plant, also announced the shutdown on Thursday. "We will keep you informed as more information becomes available regarding the following weeks," the union said on social media.
The union did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Production at the facility was paused for two weeks last month after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on imported vehicles, but the plant reopened on April 22. Trump has since enacted some measures to offer automakers some relief. U.S. tariffs on foreign parts are set to kick in on May 3.
The Stellantis plant employs roughly 4,500 people in the Windsor, Ont., area and is best known for producing the Chrysler Pacifica minivans. In December, production began on an electric Dodge Charger model.