5 Years; $625 Million for Ontario Auto Industry
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| Ontario premier Ernie Eves. (Photo: Government of Ontario) |
Ontario premier Ernie Eves declared that 625 million provincial dollars will be given to the auto industry over the next five years. The good news was announced on Wednesday in Oshawa at the GM auto plant.
Present at the press conference were two chairmen of the Canadian Automotive Partnership Council an organization comprised of representatives of the government, labour, industry, and academia. The group formed almost a year ago when the CAW launched and extensive campaign for a new Canadian auto policy in response to rulings against the Auto Pact (1965) by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001.
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| Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) president Buzz Hargrove. (Photo: WorkingTV.com) |
This was a significant confirmation for Ontario's auto labor force. Over 300,000 people are employed directly for automakers and supplier companies. In addition, the Canadian Auto Workers union (CAW) has 85,000 members in the automotive domain. The promised money ensures job security and employment creation. "Our government is committed to keeping Ontario's economy competitive, which means creating an economic climate that attracts investment and creates jobs. Our government is working hard to protect and create jobs in the province, " remarked Eves.