Ottawa, Ontario – The Liberal government is prepared to offer Ford Motor Co. $500 million to help retool its Oakville, Ont. assembly plant to produce electric vehicles, according to the Toronto Star.
It is being reported that this initial offer is to be part of an eventual $2 billion investment to bring electric vehicle production to Ontario.
“The choice to dedicate the Oakville Assembly Plant to the production of battery electric vehicles shows alignment between Ford’s commercial priorities and Canada’s commitment to sustainable growth,” Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains wrote in a letter to Ford Canada CEO Dean Stoneley. “It also reflects our productive dialogue in recent months, built on top of an enduring partnership.”
Ontario premier Doug Ford has also vowed support for the automaker, and also said he spoke to Stoneley late last week in order to push the automaker to use Ontario-made batteries in whatever cars it produces at the plant, something he said would save millions in shipping as well as create Ontario jobs.
Ford and Unifor, which represents 6,300 workers in Oakville and Windsor, Ont., are in last-ditch talks to reach a deal and avert a strike at midnight.
