Federal, Ontario governments invest $259M each in GM for Oshawa, CAMI facilities

The future is looking greener for Ontario's auto sector, both financially and environmentally.

Senior levels of government have announced more than $500-million for vehicle production at the GM plant in Oshawa and GM’s CAMI facility in Ingersoll.

Up to $259-million from each of the provincial and federal governments is part of a $2-billion investment from GM.

The funding “will bring pickup truck production to Oshawa and electric vehicle production to Ingersoll,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford at Monday’s announcement in Oshawa.

“Ingersoll is going to be the first full-scale electric production facility in Canada,” added Francois-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.

The funding will help save more than 1,500 jobs at CAMI as the plant transitions from the gas-powered Chevy Equinox to the Brightdrop EV600 delivery van, according to UNIFOR local 88 Chairperson, Mike Van Boekel.

“It really gives a sense of strong job stability for many years to come” he said. “Hopefully not just for the current members, but for the next generation of workers that are going to be coming.”

The deal to turn CAMI into an electric vehicle production facility is widely believed to have saved the plant from closure.

That’s something that hasn’t been lost on Ingersoll Mayor Ted Comiskey. He concedes, however, that supplier plants will be impacted. He said hopes new industries emerge.

“Ingersoll economic development has certainly looked to the future and is bringing in other industries to offset the unemployment that might be caused by this move. Whether it’s in the auto industry or not, we have to kind of maintain those jobs,”  said Comiskey.