After Ford Motor Company and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, General Motors is now close to reaching a tentative agreement with Canada’s Unifor union in the 2020 Contract Bargaining.
The big news is that GM plans to build pickup trucks in Ontario once again and make additional investments at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Center.
The announcement was made earlier today by GM Canada president and managing director Scott Bell. “Subject to ratification of our 2020 agreement with Unifor, General Motors plans to bring pickup production back to the Oshawa Assembly Plant while making additional investments at the St. Catharines Propulsion Plant and Woodstock Parts Distribution Center,” Bell said.
See Also: FCA And Unifor Reach Tentative Agreement, Pave Way For New Plug-In Hybrids And EVs
At Oshawa, the automaker plans to invest between CA$1 billion (US$766.5 million) and CA$1.3 billion ($996.4 million), resulting in the expected hiring of 1,400 to 1,700 hourly workers. Additionally, it pledged to invest CA$109 million (US$83.5 million) at the St. Catharines plant to support added engine and transmission production and CA$0.5 million (US$0.38 million) in operations at the Woodstock Parts Distribution Center.
GM said that construction will begin immediately at Oshawa Assembly and will include a new body shop and flexible assembly module. These upgrades will help support a fast response to strong customer demand for GM’s new family of pickup trucks. The U.S. automaker aims to start pickup production in Ontario in January 2022. “Pickups are GM’s largest and most important market segment in Canada and across the continent. They also help GM fund our transition to the electric, autonomous and highly connected future we see ahead,” GM Canada boss added.
GM will continue discussions with the Ontario and federal governments and says it looks forward to working closely with Unifor on these projects following the ratification of their tentative 2020 agreement.