Claims about Windsor battery plant closing and ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø jobs moving to the U.S. are false

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tours the Stellantis Windsor (Chrysler) Assembly plant in Windsor, Ont., on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023. A spokeswoman for the automaker said, 'All of the investments Stellantis has made in Canada are on track,' in response to false rumours jobs were being pulled from the country. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nicole Osborne

On Jan. 22 an X account affiliated with U.S. President Donald Trump posted a clip from a Bloomberg television program that discussed the reopening of a Stellantis car assembly plant in Illinois. Several X users shared the clip along with claims Stellantis stopped construction on its Windsor battery plant and moved 1,500 ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø jobs to the United States. There is no evidence supporting these claims. According to Stellantis and the union representing autoworkers at the Windsor Assembly Plant, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø operations are unaffected by the U.S. plant’s reopening.

On Jan. 22 the account @TrumpWarRoom on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, from a "Bloomberg Open Interest" show report, which discussed the decision by automaker Stellantis to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois.

One user along with the claim Stellantis "not only stopped building its battery plant in Windsor, they are now moving 1,500 jobs back to the U.S.," receiving more than 4,000 likes.

Another X user Stellantis "is moving 1,500 jobs from Canada back to Illinois," in a post with more than 100,000 likes.

While the Bloomberg report did not make claims about the Windsor battery factory closing or 1,500 jobs moving to Illinois, one host said Stellantis was "pulling their production down from Canada into the U.S."

Rating: False

On Jan. 22, Stellantis shared its plans to resume work at the Belvidere assembly plant located about 113 kilometres northwest of Chicago, after in 2022.

The company said the plant will produce a new mid-size pickup truck and put about 1,500 employees under the United Auto Workers (UAW) union back to work, The Associated Press reported.

UAW confirmed the plant’s planned reopening for 2027 in a the same day, noting the reopening is part of the union’s 2023 contract. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø reached out to UAW for comment and will update this story when it becomes available.

The claim about Stellantis stopping construction on its battery plant in Windsor refers to the NextStar electric vehicle battery plant, a joint venture between Stellantis and LG Energy Solution .

Stellantis on a portion of NextStar in May 2023 during a dispute with the federal government, but both parties to resume construction in July.

A representative for Stellantis Canada said reports about the NextStar plant closing or ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø jobs moving to the United States are false.

"The U.S. production announcements … have absolutely no impact on our operations in Canada, including the NextStar Energy battery plant," Stellantis Canada head of communications LouAnn Gosselin said in an email to ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø.

"All of the investments Stellantis has made in Canada are on track," Gosselin said.

Unifor, which represents workers from Stellantis Canada’s Windsor Assembly Plant, said nothing has changed at Stellantis facilities in Canada as a result of the U.S. announcement.

In a statement, Unifor national president Lana Payne said the return of the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant – which was – is expected on schedule.

“We are also reaching out to the new Stellantis (chief operating officer) for a meeting to confirm our understanding of the company’s plans for its ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø operations,†Payne said.

She said the union remains concerned about the impact Trump’s proposed 25 per cent tariff on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø goods could have on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø auto jobs.

Bloomberg on Jan. 24 about the claim made on its program about Stellantis moving production from Canada to the United States.

"Product decisions announced by Stellantis on Jan. 22 won't affect current production in Canada and no jobs or manufacturing work in that country are being moved to the US as a result," the clarification reads.

Sources

Clip shared on X Jan. 22, 2025 (, ) and reposted to X with claims () and ()

Stellantis to idle Illinois assembly plant, lay off workers – The Associated Press , Dec. 9, 2022 ()

Stellantis to resume work at Illinois plant in 2027 as it looks to resolve issues with UAW – The Associated Press via ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø website, Jan. 22, 2025 ()

UAW from Jan. 22, 2025 ()

Government of Canada about Stellantis and LG partnership from March 23, 2022 ()

Stellantis stops construction on portion of Windsor, Ont., EV battery plant amid Ottawa dispute – , May 15, 2023 ()

New deal for Windsor EV battery plant worth $15B in tax breaks, Ontario minister says – , July 5, 2023 ()

Some workers leave Windsor Assembly Plant as retirees after FCA ends third shift – , July 10, 2020 ()

Bloomberg posted Jan. 24, 2025 ()

About ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Press fact checks

You can find out more about ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø here and about ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Press Fact Checks here. To reach our fact-checking team with any tips, corrections or comments, please email us at cpfactcheck@thecanadianpress.com.

ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. All rights reserved.