The General Motors Oshawa assembly plant in Ontario. (Cole Burston/Bloomberg)
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General Motors Co. is pausing plans to eliminate a shift at its lone pickup truck assembly plant in Canada, offering a temporary reprieve for hundreds of workers affected by President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The Detroit-based automaker will keep three shifts at its factory in Oshawa, Ontario, until at least Jan. 30, according to Unifor, which represents workers at the plant that makes the Chevrolet Silverado.
In May, GM said it would cut one shift at the plant “in light of forecasted demand and the evolving trade environment,” and had planned to make the reduction this fall. The company has announced plans to boost Silverado output at a factory in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The union also said Stellantis NV is bringing back a third shift at its factory in Windsor, Ontario, right across the border from Detroit, in the first quarter of 2026. Production was reduced at that plant, which makes Chrysler minivans and the Dodge Charger Daytona, shortly after Trump imposed tariffs on foreign-made automobiles.
Unifor welcomes third shift announcements at GM Oshawa and Stellantis Windsor Assembly plants. #canlab https://t.co/sSss6bEzq2
— Unifor (@UniforTheUnion) September 9, 2025
Prime Minister Mark Carney retaliated by placing similar levies on U.S.-made cars and light trucks — but soon after, his government said auto companies would be able to apply for tariff relief as long as they continued producing vehicles and investing in Canada.
Unifor has been pressuring Carney not to sign a trade deal with Trump that would enshrine tariffs on goods made in Canada.
“Auto workers still face a highly precarious situation in Oshawa as well as other auto communities, but it does show that the work our union is doing and the message our members are sending to decision-makers is making a difference,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a statement.
