There will be layoffs, Ford says
The Canadian Press
A parking lot with employees’ vehicles is shown at the Ford assembly plant in Oakville, Ont. PHOTO BY NATHAN DENETTE /THE CANADIAN PRESS
Ford Motor Co. is delaying the start of electric vehicle production at its plant in Oakville, Ont., to 2027.
EV price gap needs closing to spur demand
The U.S. automaker had planned to start production in 2025 at the Canadian plant which employs 2,700 workers.
Ford announced plans last year to spend $1.8 billion to transform its Oakville assembly plant into a hub for electric vehicle manufacturing including vehicle and battery pack assembly.
It says work to overhaul of plant will begin in the second quarter of this year as planned, but the launch of the new three-row electric vehicles to be produced at the factory won’t happen until 2027.
Ford spokesman Said Deep said some employees will remain on site during the plant transformation but there will be layoffs.
The company says it will work with Unifor, which represents workers at the plant, to mitigate the impact the delay will have on its workforce.
Ford chief executive Jim Farley says the automaker is fully committed to manufacturing in Canada and that he believes the decision will help the company build a profitably growing business for the long term.
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