TORONTO -- Before the COVID-19 pandemic began, it was no secret that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford didn't see eye-to-eye on a number of issues and fought fiercely against each other's campaigns.

But fast forward to 2020 and all that seems to have changed.

The two political leaders, from opposite sides of the aisle, often compliment each other publicly on their success in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

While making a joint announcement on Thursday about an investment in the production of electric vehicles in Ontario, they were asked by a reporter about their political relationship, which has produced friction in the past.

"A year ago prime minister, you were warning Ontarian voters of the evils of the Ford, Sheer agenda," the reporter asked. "And premier, wasn't it a couple years ago you were warning people of the evils of the Trudeau, Wynne agenda?"

"It's been clear over the last couple months, you two guys get along," the reporter said. "What's changed … given how much you attacked each other in the last campaign?"

Trudeau told reporters that while he and Ford still do have their disagreements, during the pandemic people "expect their institutions to work together."

"Premier Ford and I find great common ground, there are still a number of things we are going to disagree on – and we'll point those out – but we also know working together is really, really important in the areas we do agree," Trudeau said. 

Trudeau said that on top of it being nice for Canadians to see, he thinks working together is also "deeply reassuring" for citizens.

"Whatever political stripe we all want the same thing: to keep people safe, to bring our economy back as quick as possible."

Ford echoed similar statements about Trudeau, saying that regardless of the political party "people expect us to work together."

"This is about working together, collaborating together and coming up with solutions."

"I appreciate the relationship that myself and the prime minster built, along with the other premiers."

Ford has said multiple times since the pandemic began that all levels of government, including federal, provincial and municipal, need to work together to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and rebuild the economy.