Fiat Chrysler to invest in electric car production in Canada

Fiat Chrysler (FCA) has committed to a multi-year investment in assembling electric vehicles in Canada and to add up to 2,000 new jobs, a union representing some of the carmaker's workers announced Thursday.

The company has agreed to invest up to Can$1.5 billion (US$1.1 billion) in southern Ontario's Windsor plant as part of a tentative three-year deal with union Unifor, the group's national president Jerry Dias said in a statement.

Under the deal, Fiat Chrysler's investment would outfit the factory to assemble plug-in hybrids and battery-powered vehicles, with at least one new model in 2025, he added.

Up to 2,000 jobs would be added to the Windsor plant in 2024, according to the union, which comes after roughly 1,500 positions were cut at the factory earlier this year.

The Brampton assembly plant would also see Can$50 million in investment, which would allow additional models to be produced there.

Workers must still ratify the deal through a virtual vote set for Sunday and Monday.

This tentative deal is based on the one struck with Ford workers in Canada and includes a five per cent pay bump.

Unifor plans to launch talks with General Motors next week to renew their deal.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government and the province of Ontario announced last week investments of Can$295 million each in a Ford factory billed as the largest electric vehicle plant in North America.

The three large North American groups, as well as Japanese carmakers Toyota and Honda, have a total of some 44,000 workers on assembly lines in Ontario, according to Unifor.