BARRIE -- Honda is suspending production, the company announced on Wednesday.
The shutdown will impact all Honda automotive production plants right across North America because of the "anticipated decline in market demand related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic."
"We're making the choice to stop all of our North American production, that includes Mexico, U.S. and Canada. It's over 40,000 units," says Kevin Mullins, manager of administration at Honda of Canada Manufacturing.
Mullins says Honda will stop production for six days, starting on Monday.
"We'll be reassessing as we go through this period."
He adds suspending production takes time, "We want to make sure that we have things under control in terms of coming to a stop. There's no concern with respect to safety immediately inside."
The company says employees will continue to receive full pay during the temporary suspension.
According to Honda, deep cleaning of production facilities and common areas will be done during the six-day shutdown.
"This decision is made at the highest levels," Mullins explains. "It's not just Alliston this affects." However, Mullins says not everything is coming to a stop. "There is still business to attend to here. We are not stopping the business aspect of what we do."
In a statement on Wednesday, the company says, "This production adjustment also will allow Honda associates to better prepare and adjust family plans in relation to regional directives to close schools to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus."
