Oct 21, 2026
Unifor announced on Monday that over the weekend, 97.3% of participating Stellantis members voted to authorize a strike if needed. The union represents more than 9,000 Stellantis workers across Canada, and talks remain stalled over issues including job security and the future of the company’s idled Brampton, Ont., assembly plant.
While the vote doesn’t mean a strike is imminent, it adds pressure to negotiations that could help determine how much automotive work stays in Ontario.
Is a strike coming?
The vote gives Unifor a mandate from participating members to pursue strike action. It does not, by itself, put the union in a legal position to walk out.
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In its Oct. 19 announcement, Unifor said neither side had requested a “no board” report, one of the steps required before workers can legally strike. The union said it still sees a path to an agreement that protects Canadian jobs.
Stellantis, meanwhile, told The Canadian Press it remains prepared to negotiate an agreement that recognizes employees’ contributions and supports the competitiveness of its Canadian operations.
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How a strike could affect suppliers and local businesses
If Stellantis workers eventually walk out, the disruption could reach beyond the company’s plants to parts suppliers, trucking firms and nearby businesses.
Automotive assembly plants depend on a network of businesses that make components, maintain equipment and move goods. Those businesses, in turn, employ thousands of people.
According to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, the automotive industry directly employed more than 125,000 people in 2024 and indirectly supported approximately 427,000 jobs, including aftermarket services and dealership networks. Canadian assembly plants draw on nearly 700 parts suppliers.
While these figures don’t indicate how many jobs a Stellantis strike could affect, they do show how many Canadians depend on the auto industry for work.
If a strike interrupted Stellantis vehicle production, suppliers serving the affected operations could face fewer orders, while trucking firms could lose shipments. Depending on the length of the disruption and their reliance on Stellantis, those businesses could reduce hours or shifts.
Restaurants, shops and other local businesses could also see sales slow down if striking workers and those with reduced hours cut back on spending.
What a Brampton plant sale could mean for local jobs
The situation is different in Brampton because the assembly plant is already idle. Stellantis halted operations there in 2023. Retooling began in early 2024, but the company paused the project in early 2025 and later moved planned Jeep Compass production to Illinois.
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Workers and local businesses want to know whether auto production will return and what jobs a new owner might bring to the site.
In September, Stellantis signed a memorandum of understanding with Canadian armoured vehicle maker Roshel for a potential sale of the plant. Roshel wants to turn it into a defence manufacturing centre and has said it would give laid-off Unifor workers first consideration for jobs.
That offers them some hope, but it leaves key questions unanswered, such as how many would get jobs, what those jobs would pay and when they could start.
Local suppliers also have a stake in what happens next. A defence manufacturer could need different parts and materials than an auto assembly plant would. Even if manufacturing returns to the site, businesses that supplied Stellantis may not regain those orders.
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Colin Graves is a Winnipeg-based financial writer and editor whose work has been featured in publications such as Time, MoneySense, MapleMoney, Retire Happy, The College Investor, and more. Before becoming a full-time writer, Colin was a bank manager for over 15 years.
