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The Bankruptcy of Bricklin Canada and General Vehicles

At least $5-million for Bricklins, sold to General Vehicle Ltd., never reached Bricklin Canada Ltd. According to the Liberal Party (Government Opposition at the time) figuring, sales by Bricklin Canada to General Vehicle Ltd, Bricklin Canada's U.S. parent company, should have amounted to something like $15-million, but the Liberals suggest that at least $5-million never reached the Canadian firm.

Even though the Bricklin was a political battleground, new investors were always being sought to revive the Bricklin. They found potential investors but they never went through.

About 200 workers at the plant also protested in Fredericton, New Brunswick with about 15,000 signatures to supply more government aid to the Bricklin plant.

When Bricklin Canada Ltd. and General Vehicles Ltd. filed for bankruptcy the companies owed a total of $34.6-million. When the Bricklin venture dissolved, the dealers were among the believers who took a beating. They were owed $1.5-million for parts and advertising, as well as $3-million for warranty claims.

As well, Bricklin Canada Ltd. and General Vehicles Ltd. owed:

• Approximately $3-million to the Canadian Federal Government
• $19.7-million to the New Brunswick Government.
• Over 100,000 to Plastics Maritimes Ltd.
• Over $40,000 to Workman's Compensation Board.

After Bricklin Canada Ltd. and General Vehicles Ltd. folded, the Bricklin assets were to be auctioned off.

The auctions were held Feb 24, 1978 at the Saint John Plant and Feb 23, 1978 at the Minto plant. Before the auctions were held, there were three days to retail sales of small hand tools in Saint John.

After the plant closed it was deserted for over a year, besides a watchman and the last of the Bricklins.

City Transit Takes Over Bricklin Plant

In the late fall of 1978 City Transit Limited began its move to new maintenance facilities at the Bricklin Canada Ltd. building in the Grandview Avenue Industrial Park.

The City arranged to lease 40,000 square feet of the 108,000 square foot Bricklin plant as a temporary maintenance facility for the bus company from Provincial Holdings Ltd.

The city was to pay $5,000 per month rent for a minimum six-month period and $8,000 for the seventh and eighth months and $12,000 per month after that.

The space they were renting was big enough for all 28 buses to be stored inside at once and they had 4 offices for their personnel.

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