Premier says it's now up to feds to 'finish off' Windsor, Ont., Stellantis battery plant deal

On the heels of saying his government would spend more to save Windsor's Stellantis electric vehicle battery plant last week, Ontario's premier now says it's up to the federal government to finish off the deal.

Doug Ford answered questions about the deal again Wednesday.

"We put in our fair share and now we're stepping up again to borrow more money because it's all about the people," he said.

Ford says it's important to secure jobs in the Windsor region and across southwestern Ontario.

"Very few parts of this province have been shown more love than southwestern Ontario. And you're talking Windsor specifically."

Construction on the Windsor Stellantisbattery plant began last year. It was due to open in 2024.But earlier this month, the company said it was looking into"contingency plans," claiming the federal government hadn't kept its promises in negotiations.

"No matter if it's a new hospital or the two new schools or the bridge or we're building or the roads that we're building or the off ramps that we're building there's no region in this province that has had more investment from this province and from our government."

When asked by reporters if sweetening the Stellantis deal could be viewed as a bad precedent forother companies looking to locate in Ontario, Ford disagreed.

"It creates economic development again. You've been down to Windsor before. If you want to talk about Stellantis, that town before we took office was hurting. It's no different than St.Thomas. They were struggling. They weren't paying their mortgages."

WATCH |Province putting more money into Stellantis deal to save EV battery plant, says Premier Doug Ford

Province putting more money into Stellantis deal to save EV battery plant, says Premier Doug Ford

1 year ago

Duration 2:58

Premier Doug Ford said that the provincial government will put more money on the table in the Stellantis deal after Deputy Premier Chrystia Freeland called on Ontario to pay its fair share in the deal.

Ford said Friday morning his government would pump more money toward the Stellantis for the NextStar plant which would employ 2,500 people.

'We're getting close to that agreement'

The Liberal MP for Windsor-Tecumseh says his government is getting close to an agreement with Stellantis.

Irek Kusmierczyk says they're moving as "quickly as possible" and that his confidence grew once Ontario announced its further investment in the deal.

"The scale of investment we're talking about here is absolutely unprecedented so this does take a little bit of time," he said.

Kusmierczyk says he expects the deal will get done in short fashion.

"Negotiations are in an advanced stage right now. We're getting close to that agreement. And again, I am fully confident we will have an agreement and we will have a battery plant here in Windsor."