A five-year $100-million Automotive Supplier Innovation Program is now available for companies across the country.
"The website is live right now," says Minister of State Gary Goodyear.
He tells BlackburnNews.com the fund should help to attract future auto investment after Windsor lost out on $2-billion from Ford.
"Certainly it would help that, but it creates more opportunities and it actually allows companies to build other products and create other jobs that are high paying as well," says Goodyear. "We will continue to see certain transitions in the economy, but we do see a great confidence by our suppliers, by our assemblers in that Ford has already put billions of dollars in, GM is investing, Toyota in my riding has invested."
As for the timing, Goodyear says now, not earlier, is the right time.
"Because of the growing consumer demand for more technology and more personal relationship with the car, we see an opportunity here to help our automotive parts manufacturers innovate more," says Goodyear.
The minister made the announcement in Windsor this afternoon.