Canada will provide Ford with $376 million to help it produce electric cars in Ontario

SMM: according to reports, Ontario Governor Doug Ford said that after Ford completed negotiations with the union, the Ontario government planned to invest in Ford's plant in (Oakville), Oakville, the province.

"after completing the negotiations, we will make a great contribution to this factory," the Ontario governor said at a news conference in Toronto on September 21. "

The Canadian federal government told Ford on Sept. 20 that it was willing to provide up to C $500 million ($376 million) to help Ford produce electric cars at its Oakville plant on the western outskirts of Toronto, the Toronto Star quoted a draft letter to Ford as saying.

The plant is Ford's only complete vehicle assembly plant in Canada and is currently responsible for the production of Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Edge crossovers. After Ford cancelled plans to produce the next-generation Edge at the plant, the plant was considered at risk of closure.

Doug Ford said he was waiting for a commitment from Ford to ensure that the company would manufacture batteries for electric vehicles in Ontario. "We can complete every step of battery production, we have lithium, we have nickel, we have the raw materials to produce batteries," he said. "

Unifor, Canada's largest private-sector union, which represents 17000 Canadian workers at Detroit's three major car companies, is currently negotiating a labor contract with Ford that will determine the wages and benefits of most workers. Unifor had set a deadline of midnight Toronto time, and Unifor would organise a strike if Ford did not complete negotiations with it.

Rose Pao, a spokesman for Ford Canada, said in an email: "We look forward to negotiating an agreement with Unifor to help lead Ford Canada, our employees and the community into the future. The two sides will discuss these details at the negotiating table, not in the media. "