TORONTO — Chrysler Canada’s southern Ontario assembly plants have halted production indefinitely while its parent company restructures under bankruptcy protection in the United States.
A spokeswoman for Chrysler Canada says a parts shortage forced Chrysler’s plants in Windsor and Brampton to shut down today. Those two plants employ 7,000 people.
When Chrysler said yesterday it would cease operation at its U.S. plants while it restructures over the next 30 to 60 days, many of the company’s parts suppliers stopped production.
This resulted in a parts shortage that affects Chrysler’s Canadian operations too, although Chrysler Canada is not directly covered by its parent company’s filing for protection from creditors.
Canadian Auto Workers president Ken Lewenza says the North American auto industry is so integrated that Chrysler’s Canadian plants couldn’t continue to operate on their own.
