How The GM Closure In Oshawa Can Learn From Windsor, Pontiac & Flint

Image via DALL-E

Oshawa, Ontario, is dealing with news that I’ve personally lived through twice.

General Motors is ending operations at its Oshawa-based auto manufacturing plants.

News like this can (and often does) cripple communities. 2,800 GM employees will lose their jobs. The ripple effect of this is much more significant than 2,800 people.

Families are impacted. Income from working in the auto sector is hard to match with the skillset of automotive employees. Many will struggle to replace that income, possibly working two retail and minimum wage roles to make up for what they earned in the auto plants.

People earning less will spend less, which has a ripple effect on smaller businesses. Due to a lack of sales, these businesses can (and often do) close up.

See what happens when a large employer leaves your community?

Windsor knows this feeling. Fiat-Chrysler is the only automaker left in Windsor, Ontario. GM? Gone (and they’re slowly clearing away the demolished plant that has been dormant for many years). Ford has an engine plant, but in my words, if they need to build the engines more efficiently (aka cheaper), they’ll close that down, too.

Windsor, like Detroit, rode the ups and downs of the auto sector. Growing up in Pontiac, Michigan, I saw firsthand what happens when things are going well and when they are not.

My family (Great-Grandfather, Grandfather, Father, Uncles, Cousins, friends, etc.) all worked for the auto sector. I’ve seen how this kind of news impacts people, families, and communities. My heart breaks for Oshawa this morning.

When GM and Ford closed or scaled back operations in Windsor, it created a ripple effect and made the city suffer from the City008 recession even worse than in other parts of Ontario and Canada.

The City of Pontiac died after GM closed the shop. Crime rose through the roof, and the city filed bankruptcy. It had no local government, police, fire services, etc.

So did Flint, Michigan. Economic depression continues to impact the city, and the water supply still isn't truly safe to drink. The ripple effect of having your community supported by ONE company is a slippery slope.

The safety nets of Canada will help minimize the impact of GM leaving Oshawa in 2019, but it will still hurt.

The employees of GM-Oshawa should look into getting training NOW. Toronto has a HUGE shortage of elevator repair technicians due to the bazillion condos being built in the GTA. General labors are in constant need. Learn new skills. If you’ve been working in the plant for more than 5 years, you’ve learned new skills because how cars are built today differs from even 5 years ago.

For the City of Oshawa, get creative. You’re losing an employer that provides a significant incentive to your community. Be proactive now so you can avoid what happened to Pontiac, Michigan.

Be well!

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