FCA pushed the third shift's elimination date to Oct. 21 from Sept. 30 “to accommodate a large order” of fleet vehicles, FCA Canada spokeswoman LouAnn Gosselin said in a statement.

As the Canadian market declines and as more assembly plants find themselves in danger of closing in the long term, government must put an emphasis on helping displaced autoworkers at assembly and supplier plants transition into new jobs. 

As the Dodge Grand Caravan approaches the end of production, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles must evaluate its strategy for the minivan market it invented more than 30 years ago.

As GM prepares to close a longtime Canadian assembly plant, and retool it to build replacement parts, some of the factory's 2,300 workers set to lose their jobs will be offered incentives to retire, union officials say.

GM plans to invest C$170 million ($126 million U.S.) to support the transition of operations at its Oshawa assembly plant. GM also will convert part of the plant property into a test track for autonomous and advanced technology vehicles.

Some suppliers began diversifying a decade ago, right after GM’s bankruptcy. Product mixes help suppliers better withstand plant closures and consolidation by automakers.

Walkouts at key parts plants send a message that the union is serious about disrupting operations, said Jerry Dias, president of the Canadian union Unifor.

Fiat Chrysler this year will invest $262 million in its Windsor, Ontario, minivan assembly plant “for future product,” Unifor President Jerry Dias said.

FCA executives and union leaders will be discussing upcoming job cuts at the automaker's minivan plant in Canada. The union will demand FCA give the factory new product to save 1,500 jobs.

Making roads safer and easing congestion are among the benefits often cited by proponents of potentially revolutionary autonomous technology. But it’s always striking to hear how much auto executives’ views on self-driving vehicles differ from one another.

Ontario officials are confronting declining local auto industry fortunes with millions in business benefits.

Canada's Unifor is hopeful GM will accept the union's proposal to save some jobs at the company's Oshawa plant in Ontario. Unifor hasn't publicly released details of its proposal.

Fiat Chrysler is expected to begin retooling its Windsor minivan plant in Canada this summer to add an all-wheel drive powertrain to the Chrysler Pacifica minivan, according to a top union official.

Investments by the auto sector in autonomous technology are paying dividends for the once-struggling smartphone company.