"The Ste. Thérèse Plant has been a key contributor to the Quebec economy since it opened in 1965. Over the past fifteen years, GM has invested over $3 billion in the plant and generated over 20,000 person years of employment, with payrolls totaling over $1.2 billion," said Kempston Darkes.
"GM will continue to be the automaker with the largest commitment to Quebec. We source over $850 million annually from over 700 Quebec suppliers, with less than 10% of this supplying Ste. Thérèse. We have been working with the Government to develop further supplier production opportunities in Quebec, such as the $60 million investment announced earlier this year by Raufoss. In fact, through our sourcing initiatives, we are creating at least as many jobs in supplier companies in Quebec as will be lost at Ste. Thérèse.
"As lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium increase in automotive applications, we believe that Quebec has a strategic advantage and strong future in this area — not just to supply GM, but to supply the entire North American auto industry. We continue to be committed to working with the Governments, the lightweight materials industry and the R & D community to enhance this capacity," she said.
"Although the Chevrolet Camaro and Pontiac Firebird models are outstanding performance cars, over the past fifteen years, the sports car segment in North America has declined. At the same time, with the dramatic increase in import penetration, there is substantial excess capacity in our industry.