Windsor pursuing $2B battery plant that would employ 2,000
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star February 26, 2021 The WindsorEssex Economic Development Corporation has submitted a bid to land an electric vehicle battery production plant that has been described as the most advanced Canadian effort to date to secure the country’s first such facility. The proposal, submitted this week, is for a proposed $2-billion plant that […]
Local auto sector capable of meeting emergency need for medical equipment
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star March 18, 2020 Borrowing a page from World War II history, Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association president Flavio Volpe is suggesting Ontario’s automotive supply chain can help Canada avoid the shortage of vital medical equipment that could occur during the COVID-19 pandemic. Volpe said with the European Union recently announcing restrictions on […]
Impact of COVID-19 ripples through automotive sector
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star March 17, 2020 Southwestern Ontario’s automotive supply chain remains healthy despite the disruption of COVID-19, but industry officials are keeping a watchful eye on a border that’s growing increasingly tighter. Monday Prime Minister Justin Trudeau closed Canada’s border to everyone who is not a citizen or permanent resident with an exception […]
GM’s first all-electric vehicle plant in Detroit will have Canadian spillover benefits
DAVE WADDELL, WINDSOR STAR January 27, 2020 General Motors’ announcement Monday that it will invest US$3 billion to create its first all-electric production plant in Hamtramck, Mich., has Canadian automotive analysts and officials calling Southwestern Ontario the “sweet spot” for a piece of the industry’s future. The automaker will spend US$2.2 billion over 18 months […]
Arrow concept car to be a showcase for area automotive firms
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star January 24, 2020 The Windsor region and the auto cluster knitted together by the 401 in Southwestern Ontario will be key in the building of the Arrow concept car planned by the group representing auto parts makers in Canada. The Auto Parts Manufacturers’ Association announced the project to build an all-Canadian, […]
Future Auto 1: Cars will soon change daily life as much as smart phones did
DAVE WADDELL, WINDSOR STAR December 11, 2019 The automobile redefined life in the 20th century, but the vehicle of the future will likely embed itself even deeper into our daily lives. Electric, connected and increasingly autonomous, the future car is following a similar developmental path to the smartphone in its evolution into a powerful, rolling […]
Iconic Ford Mustang brand goes electric with SUV crossover
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star November 20, 2019 Ford Motor Company’s willingness to risk use its iconic Mustang nameplate on the new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV crossover represents a significant moment in the evolution of vehicle electrification, according to some auto analysts. Ford recently unveiled the Mustang Mach-E, with the first vehicles to be available about […]
Liberals announce apprenticeship plan during Windsor campaign stop
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star October 8, 2019 Patty Hajdu, the federal minister of employment, workforce and labour Patty Hajdu until Parliament was dissolved, used a Windsor campaign visit Tuesday to announce a re-elected Liberal government would create a Canadian Apprenticeship Service aimed at easing the shortage in skilled trades. The centrepiece of the plan is […]
Sales of FCA minivans hits slump again
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star October 2, 2019 Minivan sales tumbled for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in the third quarter of 2019 as consumers continued their migration to light trucks/SUVs. Pacifica sales in the U.S. were down 24 per cent (21,697 sold) while the Caravan dropped 20 per cent (27,456 sold). In Canada, sales of the Pacifica […]
Spinoff benefits for local suppliers from Toyota announcement
Dave Waddell, Windsor Star April 29, 2019 Toyota Canada’s announcement Monday of new vehicle production at its Cambridge site is good news for southwestern Ontario automotive suppliers. Toyota President Fred Volf confirmed the company had picked its Ontario operations to produce the luxury SUV the Lexus NX and its hybrid version for the North American […]
