DETROIT, Mich. — General Motors Co. will lay off 2,000 workers and close its consolidated assembly line in its Oshawa assembly plant in the next year, company officials confirmed on June 1.

The Detroit automaker will gradually eliminate the three shifts at the plant starting later this year with the third shift, followed by the second shift in the first quarter of next year. The line builds the current generation Chevrolet Impala and overflow of the Chevrolet Equinox.

According to GM, the line was supposed to cease production in 2008, but due to the market demand for the current generation Chevrolet Impala and the subsequent addition of the CAMI/Oshawa Equinox Shuttle Program, the consolidated line continued operations.

The closure does not affect production of the Cadillac XTS luxury sedan built at the plant.

Read the full report from MLive.com by clicking here.