The Ontario government wants automakers to build at least 400,000 electric and hybrid vehicles by 2030.
Premier Doug Ford and Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli announced Phase 2 of its Driving Prosperity plan for the auto sector in Guelph Wednesday morning.
Phase 2 will build on Phase 1, in which the government partnered with the industry to improve the business climate, attract talent, and create innovation. The government said it did its part by lowering taxes, red tape, and electricity costs, reducing the cost of doing business by almost $7-billion a year. Automakers invested $4-billion in new electric vehicle investments at Ontario plants, including $1.5-billion from Stellantis to upgrade the Windsor Assembly Plant.
In the next phase, the focus will be on attracting a new battery assembly plant, increasing exports of vehicles and parts, and repositioning vehicle and parts producers.
"Phase 2 of Driving Prosperity, together with programs like the Regional Development Fund, will have a real impact on regional economies across Ontario," said Fedeli. "Phase 2 will support our talented workforce, harness the province's many strengths across the sector, and leverage our critical mineral wealth in the north."
He also said the government would have more announcements in the coming weeks illustrating how it will achieve those goals.
The auto industry supports about 100,000 jobs across the province and hundreds of thousands of spin-off jobs.