GM Canada to hire 700 engineers in self-driving vehicle push

GM also announced that it will be investing an additional $10 million in the Kapuskasing Cold Weather testing facility, where new vehicles undergo climate- and environment-specific tests.

General Motors announced plans Friday to hire 1,000 engineers and software developers at its Canadian research facilities near Toronto over the coming years to design new self-driving cars.

Earlier this month, Unifor’s Auto Council voted unanimously to make new investments in Canada, including new product allocations, the top priority when bargaining commences with the Detroit Three, General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Canada, this summer.

Ontario’s “dynamic new innovation cluster” will support the automotive innovation work, said Steve Carlisle, president of General Motors Canada.

The company made the announcement Friday along with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other officials.

“We selected Canada for this expansion because of its clear capacity for innovation, proven talent and strong ecosystem of great universities, startups and innovative suppliers”, GM Executive Vice President Mark Reuss said in a statement. “The creation of 1,000 engineering jobs is excellent news; however the spin-off benefits of R&D positions are far smaller than an investment in the Oshawa assembly operation, which is very much in jeopardy with no production scheduled beyond 2017”.

Dias warned this week “there will be a strike in 2016” if there is no new product in Oshawa.

“We’re all working in the same direction, we all want the same thing so it’s incumbent on us to put the best possible foot forward whether it’s the core economics or the policy issues or working with Jerry’s team, so that’s clearly our focus”, said Mr. Carlisle.

“We have to be on the cutting edge”, he said Friday. For this expansion, GM will draw upon the province’s wealth of talent in engineering and research, and its expertise in automotive, cleantech, and information and communications technologies.

Premier Kathleen Wynne talked about Ontario’s growing economy and the government’s role in creating an educated workforce.