Three sources say the federal government knew the terms of the Roshel deal and did not try to stop it, even as the prime minister calls the sale a betrayal of workers and of Canada.
The federal government was closely involved in the private talks behind the Stellantis Brampton plant sale, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the discussions. Their account sharply complicates the public outrage Prime Minister Mark Carney and Industry Minister Melanie Joly voiced this week over the deal.
Stellantis announced on Monday, Nov. 9, that it will sell its idled car assembly plant in Brampton, Ont., to Roshel, a Canadian maker of armoured vehicles. A day later, Carney called the sale a betrayal of workers and of Canada. The sources say Ottawa knew the terms of the proposed sale, met repeatedly with both companies and did not move to block it.
Carney Calls the Stellantis Brampton Plant Sale a “Betrayal”
Speaking on Tuesday, Nov. 10, the prime minister said the situation at the Brampton plant was unacceptable and that it breached obligations Stellantis holds under several agreements with the federal government.
Carney framed the sale as a breach of trust on two fronts: a betrayal of the plant’s workers, and a betrayal of the company’s commitments to Canada and, by extension, to all Canadians. He has also said Canada will fully enforce its rights following the sale.
Joly, meanwhile, expressed disappointment in the automaker. The government’s position rests largely on a 2022 funding agreement, which a senior official noted sets minimum employment expectations for Stellantis.
More Than a Dozen Meetings Behind Closed Doors
The sources’ account paints a different picture of the months before the announcement. According to their descriptions of the confidential talks:
- Direct engagement: Ottawa was dealing directly with both Stellantis and Roshel and was aware of the terms of the proposed sale.
- Frequency: Two of the sources said there were more than a dozen meetings between the government and the companies over the past several months.
- Early resistance: One source said the government was initially opposed to the sale when discussions first began.
- No intervention: All three said the federal government did not stand in the way of the agreement.
Given how deeply the government had been involved, the sources said they were surprised by the tone of Ottawa’s reaction once the deal became public. They were not identified because they were not permitted to disclose details of confidential discussions.
Ottawa’s Response: “Never Advocated” for a Roshel Deal
The government does not dispute that talks took place, but it rejects the suggestion that it backed the outcome. A senior government official said Stellantis brought forward several proposals, and Ottawa endorsed none of them.
That official said the government raised concerns about the proposed deal with Stellantis, with the message delivered at multiple levels, and never received a satisfactory answer on the company’s overall approach.
Joly’s office said it could not discuss conversations held under the seal of confidentiality. Her spokesperson, Mathis Denis, said the government heard many proposals, never advocated for a deal between Roshel and Stellantis, and remains unsatisfied with the plans it has seen.
Stellantis declined to comment on the reporting about the government’s role.
The $529 Million Question and a $24 Million Repayment Offer
At the centre of the dispute is public money. In 2022, Ottawa committed up to $529 million to help Stellantis retool its plants in Brampton and Windsor, Ont. Records show $222 million had been paid out as of March 2025, though no breakdown shows how much went to each facility.
In a statement on Tuesday, Stellantis said it has offered to voluntarily return the government support it received for Brampton Assembly’s original retooling plan. Company spokesperson LouAnn Gosselin did not say how much that was.
Three sources put the figure at $24 million for the Brampton plant. The federal government did not respond to a request for comment on that amount, so the number should be treated as unconfirmed until either party discloses it.
| Item | What is known |
|---|---|
| Federal commitment (2022) | Up to $529 million for Brampton and Windsor retooling |
| Paid out as of March 2025 | $222 million, with no per-plant breakdown |
| Stellantis repayment offer | Support received for Brampton’s original retooling plan |
| Reported repayment amount | $24 million, according to three sources (not confirmed by Ottawa or Stellantis) |
| Employment terms | 2022 agreement sets minimum employment expectations |
Roshel’s Plan for the Idled Brampton Plant
Roshel says it will retool the facility for both automotive and defence manufacturing. In an interview on CTV’s Power Play on Tuesday, chief executive Roman Shimonov said he has no doubt the deal will go through.
Shimonov said the company prepared a specific plan and shared it with the government, adding that it extends beyond defence work to attracting automakers from other countries.
He also told BNN Bloomberg that, under the not-yet-released terms, Stellantis has agreed to lease back 25 per cent of the existing plant. Two sources said part of the facility could be used for assembling other electric vehicle-related products. Stellantis declined to comment on the lease-back arrangement, saying it had no further details beyond the sale announcement.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has separately written to Carney urging that Chinese-made EV kits not be assembled at the Brampton facility, a sign the plant’s future use is becoming a political issue in its own right.
What the Sale Means for 2,200 Laid-Off Brampton Workers
The Brampton plant has been idle since 2023, and more than 2,200 workers are on lay-off pay. For them, the critical question is who gets hired back, and how many.
Roshel has said it will need a sizeable workforce and will prioritize rehiring former Stellantis employees, but it has not said how many people it plans to employ. Shimonov has acknowledged the frustration of affected workers while indicating that Roshel is unable to take over Stellantis’ commitments to its unionized workforce.
Unifor, the union representing the workers, says the sale breaks its collective agreement, and its president has said the company betrayed the union’s members.
Poilievre Targets Joly as the Political Fight Widens
The controversy has moved quickly into Parliament’s partisan arena. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has called for Joly to be fired over the government’s handling of the file.
The sources’ account gives opposition critics a new line of attack: if Ottawa was in the room for more than a dozen meetings and knew the terms, why is it only now objecting? The government’s answer, so far, is that being present is not the same as approving, and that it repeatedly pressed its concerns without success.
Why the Brampton Deal Matters Beyond One Factory
The dispute touches several larger questions for Canadian business and policy readers:
- Enforcing subsidy deals: How Ottawa holds large companies to job commitments attached to public funding will be closely watched by other firms negotiating support.
- Auto sector shifts: A major car plant being converted partly to defence production reflects how manufacturers are rethinking their footprint, a trend explored in our look at how global supply chains are being redesigned in 2026.
- Domestic champions: Roshel’s expansion raises questions about how Canadian-owned manufacturers scale up alongside the multinationals that dominate the list of Canada’s largest companies.
Whatever the outcome, the gap between the government’s private engagement and its public reaction is likely to remain central as workers, the union and opposition parties press for answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is buying the Stellantis Brampton plant?
Roshel, a Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer, which plans to retool it for auto and defence production.
How much federal money is involved?
Ottawa committed up to $529 million in 2022 for the Brampton and Windsor plants; $222 million had been paid as of March 2025.
Is Stellantis repaying any funds?
Stellantis has offered to return support received for Brampton’s original retooling plan. Sources say that amounts to $24 million, but neither side has confirmed the figure.
Will laid-off workers be rehired?
Roshel says it will prioritize former Stellantis workers but has not said how many people it will hire.
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