Stellantis to Take Jeep Compass From Canadians, Open 5K American Jobs
Jeep Compass production pointed to one destination: Brampton, Ontario. Now, however, Stellantis is moving the compact Jeep SUV away from Canada to the previously shuttered Belvidere, Illinois, plant. It’s all part of the company’s $13 billion investment in the American Midwest. The move is set to create around 5,000 jobs for American workers.
Stellantis strips Jeep Compass production from Canada as part of US investment, adds 5,000 jobs across the American Midwest
Stellantis, parent company to Jeep, Dodge, RAM, and Chrysler, recently announced plans to invest $13 billion in US manufacturing. The investment is set to infuse capital into plants in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio. The brand says the move may create as many as 5,000 jobs in the process.
In addition to some previously reported investments, the plan includes a restructuring of where the company builds some of its subbrands’ models. Notably, the announcement includes news that production of the next-generation Jeep Compass will not happen at Stellantis’ Brampton, Ontario, plant, per Reuters.
United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is optimistic about the announcement. He applauds the Trump administration’s tariff policies for the move. “Their decision today proves that targeted auto tariffs can, in fact, bring back thousands of good union jobs to the U.S.,” Fain said in a public statement.
Belvidere is back
Instead of producing the next-gen Compass at the Brampton plant in Canada, Stellantis will move production of the small SUV to Illinois. Not to some new factory, but to the previously idle Belvidere plant near Rockford.
The newly restored Belvidere factory will be home to the new Jeep Cherokee. That’s in addition to production of the next-gen Compass, per The Car Guide. And Canadian labor isn’t happy.
“Canadian auto jobs are being sacrificed on the Trump altar,” said Lana Payne, the head of Canadian union organization Unifor. “Stellantis cannot be allowed to renege on its commitments to Canadian workers, and governments cannot stand by while our jobs are shifted to the United States,” Payne added.
