Doug Ford visit....Vic Fidelly[minister of dev.] comments.. Ford Government eyes auto sector as key to economy | Timmins Times
Fedeli, the veteran MPP for Nipissing, and current Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, honed in on a major rebound seen in the province’s automobile manufacturing sector.
“When you look at the former chair of Fiat-Chrysler sitting down with former Premier Kathleen Wynne, and telling her that ‘you have made Ontario the most expensive jurisdiction in all of North America in which to do business’, and we saw the auto sector leaving Ontario,” he said.
“When our government took over, you have now seen, most recently, $6 billion of new investment because of the very things the Premier talked about – lowering WSIB, lowering the cost of doing business, putting in an accelerated capital cost allowance.”
They mentioned five key auto companies that have recently made major investments in the province – Ford, General Motors, Stellantis (Fiat-Chrysler), Toyota, and Honda.
“Think about all of these electric vehicles that will be manufactured in Ontario, they’ll all need electric vehicle batteries, and that means critical minerals,” said Fedeli.
“Now the North will benefit from the auto sector for the first time ever.”
Ford emphasized that mining in Northern Ontario will be continue to be, and perhaps even more so, absolutely crucial to the province’s economy in the coming years.
“We will be the No. 1 manufacturer of battery operated cars and electric vehicles in all of North America,” he said.
“We have the cobalt, we have the lithium, we have the nickel, all up in the North.”
Ford also praised Rickford, MPP for Kenora-Rainy River, and Minister of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources, and Forestry, for his efforts in attracting plenty of new business and boosting natural resource development.
The Premier is of the firm belief that the province, despite a very turbulent few years, is on the right path towards economic recovery.
“We’re ready to go,” he said.