2026 Silverado EV Trail Boss driving off-road, gm.ca
Layoffs are taking effect today at General Motors’ Oshawa assembly plant after the company eliminated one of its three production shifts, reducing the facility to a two shift operation and impacting up to 1,200 jobs across the plant and its supply chain.
CBC reports about 500 of those layoffs involve direct GM employees, with the remaining positions tied to supplier and feeder operations connected to the Oshawa facility. The plant produces Chevrolet Silverado pickup trucks and has been operating with three shifts since production resumed in recent years.
Unifor Local 222, which represents many of the workers, had been advocating to preserve the third shift, warning that its loss would significantly affect employment in Durham Region and beyond. Worker transition supports and adjustment measures are now expected to become a focus.
Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles says the layoffs show the need for what she describes as a comprehensive provincial auto strategy. In a statement, Stiles criticized the Ford government’s approach to the sector and questioned the return on public subsidies provided to automakers. Oshawa MPP Jennifer French said governments should tie public support to domestic production and job guarantees, adding that protecting Canadian auto jobs must be a priority.
GM has said the change reflects market and production adjustments. The shift cut marks another major change for a plant that has seen multiple shutdown and restart cycles over the past decade.
Economic development officials and labour leaders are expected to continue discussions on support for affected workers and longer term stability in Ontario’s auto sector.
(Written by: Joseph Goden)
