Historic investment in electric vehicle production at Oakville Ford plant a good news story for Canada

The Provincial and Federal investment in retooling Ford of Canada’s Oakville Assembly Complex announced today is a good news story for Oakville and for Canada Oakville Mayor Rob Burton says.

“The economic activity that spills out of the Oakville Ford Plant generates, in addition to the more than 3,000 employees at the plant, many tens of thousands more jobs,” said Mayor Burton. “And the supply chain for that plant extends all the way to the west and the east into Quebec because of the various raw materials.”

As chair of the Ontario Auto Mayors caucus, Mayor Burton has worked collaboratively with the provincial and federal levels to promote awareness, advocacy and strategic policy initiatives. The 2019 Ontario policy paper, "Driving Prosperity" by the Doug Ford government, was a welcome first step in that direction by any government, Mayor Burton says.

Mayor Burton sponsored a successful motion to Halton Regional Council last fall, which called on Ford Motor Company of Canada to identify and allocate new production to the Oakville Assembly Plant specifically.

The Ontario government is matching a $295 million investment with the federal government plus an investment from Ford Motor Company to retool Ford of Canada's Oakville Assembly Complex into a global hub for battery electric vehicle production. This $1.8 billion investment represents one of the most significant investments in the province's auto sector in a generation.

Ford’s Oakville plant will be modernized with a flexible manufacturing system that can accommodate multiple battery electric vehicle (BEV) models and will include the installation of a battery-pack assembly line.

The first electric vehicles are expected to roll off the production line in 2025.

“Oakville’s motto is ‘Avancez’, which means ‘Go Forward’ and Oakville keeps going, despite COVID, Oakville continues to move forward,” said Mayor Burton.