Four General Motors dealers in Ottawa will not get their sales and service licences renewed in 2010 as a result of the company's decision to limit the number of dealerships across the country.

The Belanger family confirmed that Marcel Belanger Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd. in Orleans is among those affected by the cuts.

"You think you have 8,000 customers that are active here. We're profitable, we've been in Orleans for 12 years, and they send you an email saying you're no longer part of our future plans -- It is a shock," Luc Belanger told CTV Ottawa.

The dealership notified customers of the situation with a posting on the company's blog on Thursday.

"It is with great regret that I have to inform you all that General Motors has decided to shut us down," reads the posting.

"The Belanger Family is devastated by this decision and the fact that we have to share this sad news with our exceptional employees, our great customers, our friends and families. We have all dedicated our working lives to General Motors, and we could never have imagined a day like this could happen."

The family said the decision is the result of "a numbers game" and "is a tough pill to swallow."

But the dealership is not alone. In Ottawa's west end, Turpin Pontiac Buick GMC Ltd. in Kanata has also confirmed that it's on GM's chopping block.

Two other dealerships in the nation's capital will also lose their affiliation, but dealers would not confirm which ones.

Letters were sent to 245 dealers affected by the cuts on Wednesday, informing them that their sales and service relationships with GM will be ending.

GM said the move was being done in an effort to create a "more competitive dealer network."

The company said the cutbacks were part of its "more aggressive operating plan" brought on by heavy pressure from the federal and Ontario governments.

GM said it hopes the result will be "a more competitive dealer network with higher volumes, while continuing to maintain the strongest and broadest dealer network in the country."

Still, Belanger says his family won't walk away from their business.

"If it's not General Motors, it's going to be something else."

Roughly 33,000 Canadians are employed at GM dealerships. Each of the Ottawa dealerships affected by the cuts employ about 50 people.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's John Hua