Mark Carney distances Ottawa from Stellantis plant sale - Toronto Star

Carney rejects suggestions that his government was involved in the sale of the Brampton plant that will leave thousands of workers without jobs.

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with reporters at the European Political Community meeting in Dublin on Nov. 12, 2026. 

DUBLIN — Prime Minister Mark Carney is rejecting suggestions that his government was involved in the controversial sale of the Stellantis plant in Brampton to Roshel that will leave thousands of workers without jobs.

But Carney made clear Thursday that his government continues to seek other investors, including from China, to boost the struggling Canadian auto sector.

The extent to which China will be permitted to invest and build electric vehicles in Canada depends on his talks next week with President Xi Jinping, and on Canada’s sensitive trade negotiations with the United States, which opposes greater Chinese electric vehicle imports by Canada, Carney said. 

When he spoke with Canadian reporters on his arrival at a European summit in Dublin, the prime minister was asked if his government had prior knowledge of the Roshel purchase of the Brampton plant, which has sat idle for years.

Carney drew a distinction between being informed of developments and encouraging or approving the sale. Stellantis still hasn’t met its obligation to propose an overall plan to protect jobs there, he said.

“The issue for Stellantis is providing a global solution for the plant, so the Roshel deal is a partial solution for thousands of workers there,” he said. “So being informed or being aware of some aspects is not the same as Stellantis providing a solution for those workers at the plant, which is their obligation.”

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