By Rebel News | Created at 2024-11-18 20:19:35 | Updated at 2024-11-25 07:48:39
6 days ago
Decades ago, the Ford Motor Co. ran an ad campaign with the tagline, “There’s a Ford in your future!” But the question arises: what is the future for Ford’s assembly plant in Oakville, Ont.?
Alas, according to sources, things look grim for this plant that first started producing Fords, Lincolns, and Mercurys back in 1953. So, what happened to this once vibrant plant that has employed thousands of workers?
The beginning of the apparent end began with Ford gambling on EVs (electric vehicles). The Oakville plant was originally set to be retooled for EV production, but this has proven to be a fiscal fiasco for Ford.
In the first quarter of this year, Ford announced it had lost US$132,000 on each of the 10,000 EVs it sold. Things did not improve in the second quarter when Ford announced it had lost US$1.1 billion on its electric vehicles.
So it was that Ford announced it was hitting the brakes on plans to build EVs at its Oakville assembly plant (Ford had planned to invest $1.8 billion in the plant to manufacture three-row electric SUVs.)
Instead, the automaker announced in July the plant would be refitted to produce gas-powered versions of its profitable F-250 Super Duty pickup trucks by 2026. But according to former Liberal MP Dan McTeague, company and union sources tell him the plant might never reopen.
One reason is the election of Donald Trump, who has promised to bring manufacturing jobs back to America. McTeague, who currently heads up Canadians for Affordable Energy, says he expects to see F-250 production go to a swing state such as Michigan or Pennsylvania. As for the Oakville plant, things are looking dire.
Rebel News reached out to Ford for comment but none was forthcoming.
Disturbingly, the Canadian and Ontario governments continue to invest tens of billions of taxpayer dollars into EV plants to produce cars that few can afford and most don’t want.
What could go wrong? Maybe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford should reach out to the Ford Motor Co. to find out how the EV market these days is far from electrifying…
David Menzies
Mission Specialist
David “The Menzoid” Menzies is the Rebel News "Mission Specialist." The Menzoid is equal parts outrageous and irreverent as he dares to ask the type of questions those in the Media Party would rather not ponder.
