January 15, 2014 – Detroit, Michigan – Industry Canada

Canada's Industry Minister, the Honourable James Moore, today met with leaders of Canadian-based automakers to promote Canada as an ideal place for automotive investment.

The Minister also toured the convention floor of the North American International Auto Show and saw first-hand many of the innovative new vehicles that are built by Canadians.

As a key driver of the Canadian economy and one of the country's largest manufacturing sectors, the automotive industry is a priority for our government. That is why our government has taken the following actions to support the long-term success of the Canadian automotive sector:

• Reaching an agreement in principle on the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which will remove the 10-percent EU car tariff and give Canadian automakers a competitive advantage in a market of 28 countries and 500 million consumers.
• Renewing the Automotive Innovation Fund to leverage private sector research and development, which will lead to increased efficiency and technology development.
• Launching the Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support the creation of products and technologies, helping Ontario manufacturers compete on a global scale.
• Committing to the construction of the new Detroit River International Crossing, which will facilitate the movement of people and goods between Canada and the U.S.
• Partnering with the Government of Ontario in 2009 to support General Motors and Chrysler in protecting jobs and communities that rely on the Canadian automotive industry.

Ensuring the best conditions possible for the automotive sector to do business continues to be an important focus for the Government of Canada. Our government will continue to take action to keep taxes low, eliminate tariffs on machinery and equipment, and create an environment that promotes innovation, research and development. Canada's automotive industry will continue to thrive and be at the forefront of job creation and innovation.

Quick facts

• More than 480,000 Canadian jobs and 14 percent of merchandise exports are linked to the Canadian automotive sector.
• To date, our government has provided significant contributions through the Automotive Innovation Fund, leveraging up to $2.3 billion in research and development, as well as innovation investments, in Canada's automotive sector.
• CETA includes rules of origin that reflect Canada's place within the integrated North American automotive industry. These provisions are designed to work with Canada's existing supply chains and allow for up to 100,000 passenger vehicles to be exported to Europe annually on a preferential basis.
• That means Canada's auto exporters can sell almost 12.5 times more vehicles in the EU per year than they did last year before paying any tariffs, making Canadian products cheaper and more competitive and giving our exporters a significant advantage over others in the EU market.

Quote

"Canada's automotive sector is a global leader in innovation, manufacturing and sales. Our government is committed to ensuring that Canada's world-class automotive sector continues to have the right conditions for growth, not only in sales and jobs but also in cutting-edge technology, research and development. Canada's representation here in Detroit is impressive and proudly demonstrates the great things Canada is capable of. Canada's automotive industry is successful because of the great products it continues to produce. Automakers saw record-breaking sales in 2013, increased jobs and overall growth in the Canadian economy."

– Industry Minister James Moore

src:news.gc.ca