Government denies involvement in Stellantis-Roshel deal

“The minister had no part in negotiating with Stellantis or Roshel on the deal,” Denis affirmed. He clarified that Joly’s role was limited to facilitating discussions between Stellantis and Unifor, the union representing over 9,000 Canadian workers, following Stellantis’ decision to shift production from Brampton to the United States in October 2025.

Denis emphasized that the government would not have approved a deal that violated Stellantis’ commitments under the Strategic Response Fund (SRF), a federal commitment of up to $529 million, or lacked union approval. He added that the government has communicated its intention to utilize available tools if Stellantis proceeded with a sale that did not honor its SRF obligations.

Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed this sentiment on Tuesday, calling the sale “unacceptable” and a “betrayal” of workers and Canada’s obligations.

Despite these denials, CTV News reported, citing anonymous sources, that Ottawa was actively involved in discussions between Stellantis and Roshel, knowing the terms of the sale and not obstructing it. CBC News also reported the government had been aware of the potential sale for months, with regular engagement since August.

Stellantis announced the sale of the facility and equipment to Roshel late Monday, with the transaction expected to close by the end of 2026, pending conditions. Roshel CEO Roman Shimonov has indicated a willingness to rehire some of the 2,000 Stellantis employees previously laid off. The plant was initially slated for Jeep production, a process that began in early 2024 before being paused in early 2025 when Stellantis moved Jeep Compass production to Illinois.

Minister Joly is scheduled to meet with Stellantis and Unifor leadership, along with Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli, in Toronto on Thursday. Denis stated the government considers Stellantis to be in default of its obligations.