Ford is hiring about 1,000 hourly workers for its Oakville, Ontario, plant in Canada.
The automaker said it would make Oakville (40km south west of Toronto) “Canada’s most competitive and advanced global manufacturing plant” to make the 2015 Edge SUV which will be widely exported.
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“The new 2015 Ford Edge sets a new standard in its class and will show countries around the world Canadian quality at its best,” said Ford Americas president Joe Hinrichs.
“New jobs at Oakville Assembly will strengthen our investment in Canada and increase our capabilities as we gear up for one of [our] most anticipated launches.”
In 2013, the automaker announced a C$700m spend to convert Oakville – once the home of its North American market minivans – into an “advanced global manufacturing facility”.
The new jobs will bring total employment at the plant to about 4,000 by the end of 2014. Ford added 300 jobs in 2013 to meet growing demand.
Oakville currently makes the Edge and Flex, plus Lincoln’s MKX and MKT and will build the 2015 ‘global’ Edge which will go on sale early next year and eventually be exported to over 100 countries from Oakville, Ontario.
Ford also will increase spending on Canadian-made auto parts by C$200m a year, to nearly C$4bn annually.
