General Motors to build EV motors at St. Catharines propulsion plant

General Motors (GM) says it plans to build motors for electric vehicles at its St. Catharines, Ont., propulsion plant, the latest commitment by an automaker transitioning towardan electric future.

The company says the move, subject to support agreements with the federal and provincial governments, is expected to support around 500 jobs at the facility.

The St. Catharines plant currently has a little over 1,100 employees producing V-6 and V-8 engines as well as transmissions.

GM says the new Ultium electric drive units will replace some internal combustion engine production after retooling, while it still expects to continue to produce V-8 engines alongside the new motors at the plant for some time.

Unifor president Lana Payne says in a statement that the historic investment means autoworkers will continue to be the region's economic backbone for generations to come.

GM says the St. Catharines electric motors will go into its BrightDrop electric delivery vans, which it produces in part at its Ingersoll, Ont., plant, as well as its electric pickup trucks, producing enough at the plant for 400,000 vehicles a year.