GM ramps up US production amid concerns over future of Oshawa plant in Canada

General Motors said it plans to hire temporary workers at its Fort Wayne, Indiana, assembly plant. The move comes after new U.S. tariffs on imported vehicles went into effect.

The Fort Wayne assembly plant builds the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks. The Silverado is currently the only vehicle built at GM’s Oshawa, Ontario, plant, which employs more than 3,000 people. GM also builds the Silverado and Sierra at its Silao assembly plant in Mexico.

“We are making operational adjustments at the Fort Wayne plant, including hiring temporary workers, to support current production and business needs. We are continuously updating and aligning production schedules to properly manage vehicle inventory,” GM said in a statement.

A GM spokesperson told CTV that there will be no physical upgrades at the Fort Wayne plant as a result of the hiring. She explained that temporary workers are being hired to support the increased production and to replace employees who will be on summer leave.

Lana Payne, national president of Unifor, said in a statement that the Oshawa plant “will continue to operate at current production levels,” stressing that the union remains in contact with GM and expects all automakers to maintain a presence in Canada.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who was in Barrie on Thursday, did not directly address the issue but spoke about the trade war with the United States. He has previously warned that assembly lines could be shut down due to Trump’s tariffs.

“We have two choices,” Ford said. "Either we give up and let this guy (Trump) run over us like a cement truck 15 times because they don't care, or we stand up and fight like never before. I believe in the latter. We have to fight, keep fighting and make the American people feel the pain."

CTV News has asked GM about any changes to its Oshawa manufacturing operations, but has not yet received a response.