Trudeau, Ford, visit Napanee to announce $575 million expansion coming to Goodyear plant

Adam Prudhomme
Editor

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford joined Goodyear Inc. CEO and president Mark Stewart on Aug. 12 to announce a $575 million expansion to the Napanee tire manufacturing plant.

The investment, which includes $44.3 million from the federal government and $20 million from the province, will allow Goodyear to increase its production of tires specifically designed for electric vehicles as well as all-terrain vehicles. The project is slated to bring 200 new, highly skilled manufacturing jobs to the area by 2027 and secure more than 1,000 jobs for Napanee.

“Companies from across the world are choosing Canada,” said Trudeau. “Today’s announcement that Goodyear is modernizing its Napanee plant will create manufacturing jobs, grow our EV industry, and use modern technology to keep our air clean. It’s another vote of confidence in Canada’s auto sector workers.”

Construction of the expansion is underway and scheduled to be complete by 2027.

“There are young people here that are third generation,” said Trudeau, motioning to a gathering of Goodyear employees who were on hand for the announcement. “Their grandparents were part of this plant going back to the late 80s. This investment is at a time when people are worried that the global competition for jobs is increasing. This investment, this confidence in Canada and Canadians, means there’s not just going to be a fourth generation of workers here at Goodyear in Napanee. It means there’s going to be a fifth, a sixth and seventh generation. It means people are going to be building things here in Canada that are adjusted to the way the world is, the world is changing with EVs.”

Trudeau noted EVs require specialized tires because they are heavier, require more torque and are designed to run quieter.

Ford said the investment is the latest in Ontario’s ongoing efforts to be a major player in the EV industry.

“Goodyear Canada’s investment is another significant boost to Ontario’s growing electric vehicle sector, building on the billions of dollars that have been invested in the sector over the past four years,” said Ford. “Across Ontario, we’re seeing major investments and new jobs created as we build out our end-to-end EV supply chain, connecting critical minerals in Northern Ontario to world-class manufacturing across the province. Companies are choosing Ontario because of our transportation infrastructure, our competitive business environment, and our skilled workforce.”

Not only will the plant increase production, but will do so by lowering its environmental impact, says its global CEO.

“We’re going to add capacity with two million tires per year,” said Stewart. “We’re going to continue our focus and our commitment on the green and sustainable environment right here in Napanee and as well across the world in both our plants as well as our product. We’re going to continue to reduce our CO2 admissions and our greenhouse gases by another 10 per cent by the time we get to 2030 and 100 per cent by 2040.”

The expansion is also supported by incentives from the Town of Greater Napanee, Township of Stone Mills and County of Lennox and Addington.

Greater Napanee mayor Terry Richardson said Napanee’s Goodyear plant, which was first opened in 1988, has long had a major impact on the community.

“Since that time Goodyear Napanee has not only established itself as our largest industrial employer, but has become an intricate part of our community, or it might be better said an intricate part of our Napanee family,” said Richardson. “The men and women that currently work at Goodyear, or have been employed here, have not only been employees but have also become a valuable part of our community and are friends, they’re relatives and they’ve become a fabric of our town. Goodyear Napanee has provided careers for many men and women from the area and we are now seeing the generational effect.”