Ontario Premier Doug Ford Opposes Stellantis Proposal to Assemble Chinese Leapmotor EVs in Brampton

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has voiced strong opposition to potential discussions involving automaker Stellantis assembling electric vehicles from Chinese manufacturer Leapmotor at its idled assembly facility in Brampton, Ontario. Addressing reporters regarding reports of potential production arrangements, Ford stated that the provincial government remains firmly against any industrial model that relies on "knockdown kits"—a process in which vehicles are manufactured in China with foreign components and shipped abroad for final, minimal assembly. Ford warned that such arrangements do not provide substantive economic benefits to Ontario's workforce or its extensive automotive supply chain.

The Brampton Assembly Plant, historically one of southern Ontario’s primary automotive manufacturing hubs, has sat largely idle following strategic production realignments by Stellantis. The multinational automaker previously altered its production schedule, relocating planned assembly of the next-generation Jeep Compass to a plant in Belvidere, Illinois, amidst evolving trade and tariff dynamics across North America. The idling of the facility prompted scrutiny from both federal and provincial lawmakers, who had previously committed billions of dollars in joint subsidies to support the retooling of Ontario automotive plants for electric vehicle and battery manufacturing.

Under the prospective Leapmotor arrangement, vehicles developed through the Stellantis-Leapmotor global joint venture would arrive at Canadian ports in modular, semi-knocked-down configurations requiring limited assembly work. Industry analysts and union representatives have likened the approach to assembling prefabricated furniture, noting that it requires only a fraction of the specialized labour and engineering footprint associated with full-scale vehicle manufacturing. Premier Ford argued that approving knockdown assembly would undermine decades of public and private investment in Ontario's tier-one and tier-two parts suppliers, which produce everything from stamped steel and wiring harnesses to advanced EV battery modules.

The Premier's stance aligns with broader concerns raised by domestic automotive stakeholders, including the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA) and Unifor, the union representing Canadian auto workers. Both organizations have consistently warned that allowing foreign automakers to circumvent manufacturing standards through minimal assembly could set a troubling precedent for the domestic sector. Critics contend that without strict domestic-content and local procurement requirements, Ontario risks becoming a mere transit and distribution point rather than an advanced manufacturing center, thereby endangering high-paying union jobs.

The controversy also carries significant international trade implications within the framework of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). Canada recently harmonized its automotive trade policies with the United States by implementing a 100 percent surtax on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles, aimed at countering what government officials described as unfair state subsidies and overcapacity. Integrating Chinese EV platforms into Canadian assembly lines could complicate cross-border automotive integration and invite heightened scrutiny from trade regulators in Washington, particularly as North American partners prepare for the mandatory 2026 review of the trilateral trade agreement.

Provincial and federal officials have maintained that any future product allocations at the Brampton facility must involve comprehensive manufacturing commitments that maximize Canadian parts procurement and create sustainable, long-term employment. Premier Ford reiterated that Ontario remains open to international automotive partnerships, provided that companies build full-scale manufacturing facilities, source parts locally, and contribute directly to the province's integrated electric vehicle ecosystem. Stellantis has not announced a final production decision for Brampton as consultations between corporate executives, union leaders, and government ministries continue.