GM Moving Chevrolet Camaro Production From Oshawa To Lansing

by Derek Kreindler

December 19th, 2012 11:45 AM

gm moving chevrolet camaro production from oshawa to lansing

GM is set to announce that production of the Chevrolet Camaro will move from its current home in Oshawa, Ontario, to a plant in Lansing, Michigan.

According to The Globe and Mail, GM and the Canadian Auto Workers agreed to keep production of the Camaro in Oshawa until 2014, when the current generation ended its lifecycle. Beyond that, no promises were made.

Recent contract negotiations between GM and the CAW saw Oshawa recieve a third shift at its “flex line” to build the all-new Chevrolet Impala. The Camaro is currently built on the flex line, alongside the Buick Regal, and the move is sure to be a blow to workers at Oshawa, which recently had its consolidated assembly line closed after Impala production was partly moved to another plant in Michigan.

The best case scenario is that GM is betting big on the Impala, and looking to free up further capacity for the full-size sedan – or perhaps another car. At worst, it’s a way of sticking it to the CAW, or an attempt to divest from Canada and its high labor costs.

#CAW #Chevrolet #ChevroletCamaro #ChevroletImpala #Oshawa #Uaw

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10 of 42 comments

Philadlj on Dec 19, 2012

U S A ! U S A !

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Dusterdude on Dec 19, 2012

I'm not a big union lover, but as a Canadian taxpayer, all I can say is "ouch" Between the Federal and Provincial levels of government we ponied up ~ $15 Billion in 2009. (I understand the Cdn goverment had agreements that Canada would keep 16% (min) of GM's North American production, but not sure how long that agreement was for, and whether this move would still keep production at min of 16% ?)

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- 28-Cars-Later on Dec 19, 2012
  
  I honestly think a lot of this has to do with the exchange rate. If the Canadian central bank tomorrow they were going to devalue ten percent, some of those jobs would probably stay. Such an action may not be in the best interests of the Canadian economy or its citizens, but well Fed and White House actions aren't in our best interests either and its those actions who are slowly help to kill Canadian industry at the expense of whats left of US industry.
  
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- Sunridge place on Dec 19, 2012
  
  @28-Cars-Later You would be wrong. Its been said before and I'll say it again. This isn't Canadian hate. ATS is on an all new platform by itself right now. The all-new 2014 CTS will be a version of this platform starting production next fall. The all-new 2015 Camaro will also be a version of this platform obviously starting production in 2014. It makes sense to align production of those vehicles together. Picture this as the 'home' for North American RWD car production (minus the Corvette) Whether it was currency that made GM choose Lansing for the ATS and its platform partners several years ago when they made this decision is a different argument.
  
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- 28-Cars-Later on Dec 19, 2012
  
  @28-Cars-Later In the case of Camaro perhaps its a logistical reason, but what about Ford's St Thomas plant closure, and earlier plant closures or sales? Does Detroit plan on bringing any new production to Canada? What about GM's and Chrysler's veiled threats about relocating production? many factors to be accounted for no doubt but I think the currency, and thus production costs, is a significant one
  
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- Sunridge place on Dec 19, 2012
  
  @28-Cars-Later St Thomas closure? Kind of related to stopping the Crown Vic/Towncar...not exchange rate. In case you haven't or didn't notice, the big 2.5 aren't exactly needing factory capacity and have been shedding capacity in North America for years. GM used their bankruptcy to finish the job for the most part. GM finally closed their plant in Shreveport, La this year with the end of Colorado/Canyon production. Its not like Canada has been singled out by GM. I'm guessing GM will fulfill their 16% commitment...but they aren't going to lay out their plans to the world right now.
  
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El scotto on Dec 19, 2012

In the Great White North version of the bailout doesn't GM have to keep a certain percentage of production in Canada? Has the Canadian Government sounded in on this?

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Gardiner Westbound on Dec 19, 2012

Bludgeoning the automakers into accepting unaffordable contracts, as the CAW did in the last negotiations, is hastening the end of U.S. auto manufacturing in Canada. The CAW disinformation machine touted the short term benefits and the unionistas ate it up. But the CEOs are not financial nincompoops. Long term they won't pay the world's highest auto assembly wages. Significantly Chrysler would not agree to a third shift at the Brampton plant. That's a thousand long term jobs that will never happen thanks to union hubris and short-term thinking.

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- El scotto on Dec 19, 2012
  
  Oh those poor babies, those dimwits in the executive suites with MBA's being outwitted by CAW poltroons. Snark, heavy snark. The automakers accepted the contract and agreed to pay the CAW workers; the CAW doesn't agree to let the automakers keep some profits. How about the automakers caved? Again. It takes TWO sides to negotiate a contract. That fact is either unknown or misunderstood by many on TTAC.
  
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- Power6 on Dec 22, 2012
  
  @el scotto Well he made a good point, the execs will accept the union contract the first time around even if they don't like what short term choice do they have. They use the time before the next negotiation to plan their production moves...just one more signed contract is not everything in the long term.
  
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