August 19, 2015 – GM Canada president and managing director Steve Carlisle today announced that GM will invest C$12 million to increase Chevrolet Equinox production on the Consolidated production line at Oshawa Assembly and for related changes in the body shop at CAMI Assembly. This further investment in Ontario-based production and supplier tools will help to meet strong North American customer demand for the Chevrolet Equinox. The investment extends plans for ongoing Oshawa Assembly Consolidated Line production to 2017.
Steve Carlisle, president and managing director, GM Canada said, “This new investment represents a very effective way for us to meet strong demand for the Chevrolet Equinox and it’s positive news for our community. We are focused on delivering great products for our customers.”
The new investment builds on GM’s unique Ontario Equinox “shuttle program” and allows the company to ramp up production in a timely and cost-effective way. In 2010, the innovative Equinox Shuttle program was established between GM’s Ingersoll CAMI and Oshawa Assembly operations. CAMI’s Body Shop produces extra Chevrolet Equinox units beyond the plant’s existing capacity to paint and assemble them. Vehicle body assemblies are then shipped to the Oshawa plant for paint and final assembly.
The Oshawa Assembly plant currently produces the Chevrolet Equinox and the previous generation Chevrolet Impala on its ‘Consolidated Line’ as well as the Buick Regal, the current model Chevrolet Impala, the Chevrolet Camaro and the Cadillac XTS on its ‘Flex Line’. The company has announced the Chevrolet Camaro will end production in Oshawa in November 2015 and expects to manage that change without layoffs, due the use of incentivized retirement programs. GM has invested approximately C$800 million in its Oshawa and St. Catharines operations over the past 3 years and recently announced a further $800 million investment in its CAMI operation in Ingersoll, Ontario.
The GM Canadian Engineering Centre in Oshawa also recently won significant new R&D mandates for work related to “The Connected Car” and “Green Technology” which are critical for the future of the auto industry. GM is currently hiring 100 software engineers in Oshawa.
