Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Navdeep Bains, has some good news for Brampton’s auto sector.

The Liberal MP for Mississauga–Malton said he met with Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Mike Manley on Jan. 15 at the North American International Auto Show, where he said the company assured him it’s committed to its Brampton operations.

“I had an opportunity to talk about the future of FCA in Canada, and I was able to obtain a firm commitment from Mike Manley the fact that they’ll continue to build the Challenger and Charger in Brampton,” said Bains.

“He was very clear this was a key part of Dodge’s DNA and key part of that brand, and they are very much committed to this facility in the long-term,” he added.

Bains said the company pointed to recent investments in the plant and a highly skilled workforce as more reason for optimism for the sustained future of its Brampton operations.

Concerns over the Brampton plant’s future arose after former CEO, Tom LaSorda, told Bloomberg News last November that he believed “Brampton’s next”, referring to city’s Chrysler plant. LaSorda was the company’s top executive from 2006-07.

His comments were made in the wake of General Motors’ Nov. 27 announcement of its plans to shutter its operations in Oshawa.

FCA did not respond to a request for comment from The Brampton Guardian at the time, but the union representing the 3,600 workers employed at the Brampton facility expressed confusion over LaSorda’s comments in a Nov. 28 email.

“It is hard to understand why Tom LaSorda would make such a comment considering he has not been with the corporation or in the Brampton Assembly Plant for at least 10 years, said Unifor Local 1285 plant chairperson, Ardis Snow.

“I feel that we have positioned ourselves under WCM (World Class Manufacturing) for future product allocation. Also in 2016 bargaining, we were able to secure language for investment and future product,” he said, adding the company hadn’t even hinted at a possible closure before LaSorda’s comments.