GM Cuts 500 Jobs Due to Weak BrightDrop Van Demand

General Motors Announces Workforce Reduction at Canadian Facility

General Motors is implementing a reduction in its workforce, impacting 500 employees at a manufacturing plant located in Canada.

This decision stems from diminished demand for the company’s fully electric BrightDrop vans, as reported by CNBC.

GM communicated to CNBC that these workforce adjustments are unrelated to the current trade disputes initiated by President Donald Trump.

Specifically, the company will eliminate one of the two production shifts at the CAMI plant situated in Ontario.

The facility is scheduled to be temporarily idled for a period of 20 weeks, commencing in May.

These cuts represent the latest development in BrightDrop’s relatively brief and challenging operational history.

Initially established as an independent division within GM in 2021, BrightDrop was subsequently reintegrated into the parent company in 2023.

In 2024, the BrightDrop vans were subject to a recall following reports of several battery fires.

Subsequently, in late 2023, General Motors restructured BrightDrop, placing it under the Chevy brand umbrella.

This reorganization reflects the company’s ongoing efforts to navigate the evolving electric vehicle market.