Ontario, Feds confirm $590M for Ford Oakville investment
- Details
- October 12, 2020
Click image to enlargeThe federal and Ontario provincial governments are contributing $295-million each to Ford Motor Co. of Canada's Oakville Assembly Complex investment.
"Together with our federal partners, we are proud to invest almost $300 million to support the production of next-generation, made-in-Ontario vehicles and secure thousands of good-paying jobs across the province for years to come," said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.
With contributions from both levels of government and Ford Motor Co., the $1.8 billion project will help retool the Oakville Assembly Plant to produce battery-electric vehicles (BEV), securing 5,400 jobs across Ford's production workforce in Canada.
"Today's announcement is a testament to Canada's attractiveness as a destination for clean technology, talent, and infrastructure in the automotive industry,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. “Companies like Ford are helping accelerate our transition to a low-carbon, clean-growth economy, which will help protect our environment, drive innovation, and create many good middle-class jobs."
It will also help solidify Southern Ontario’s leadership position in battery-electric vehicle production in a region where thousands of Canadians are employed across the automotive supply chain.
"Any region seeking a long-term future in auto manufacturing must be adding value at every stage of the supply chain, particularly in the two technologies shaping the next generation of vehicles: zero-emissions and connected and autonomous,” said Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Bolstered by strategic government partnerships, Ontario is now at the leading edge. This ongoing collaboration between industry, government and labour will be essential as we face the immense economic challenges of COVID-19 and build for the future."
A repurposed battery-electric vehicle (BEV) production plant for the Oakville Assembly Complex is in line with the Government of Canada's stated commitment to sustainable growth, while expertise in electrification and assembly of these vehicles will position the Canadian automotive industry as a global leader in BEV manufacturing.
"With this investment, Ford will expand its award-winning portfolio to include a family of battery-electric SUVs built at Oakville Assembly, marking the first time ever that a full-line automaker has produced full BEVs in Canada for the North American market," said Dean Stoneley, president and CEO, Ford Motor Co. of Canada, Ltd.
Ford currently employs approximately 8,000 people in Canada, including three vehicle assembly and engine manufacturing plants, two parts distribution centres, two research and development sites, and three connectivity and innovation centres.
The automotive sector is one of Canada's largest manufacturing sectors with over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, contributing $16 billion to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) and is one of the country's largest export industries.