DETROIT – General Motors says it will invest $1.5 billion in its North American factories this year.
North American President Mark Reuss announced the figure in a speech Wednesday night but gave no details. The company says specific plants and job numbers will come later.
The president of GM Canada, which exports much of its production to the United States, was similarly vague about the company’s plans earlier this week.
GM is revamping 70 per cent of its U.S. models as it switches from the oldest lineup in the industry to the newest.
Reuss says the investment is in addition to the $10.2 billion GM already has spent on its factories since July of 2009. The company has added about 2,000 U.S. jobs since then.
The Canadian Auto Workers union has protested that some of the work currently done by its members is to be moved to the United States, where GM workers are represented by the United Auto Workers.
The CAW has suggested 1,000 jobs could be lost when all production of the Camaro sports car moves to a Michigan plant. However, GM Canada president Kevin Williams said Tuesday that it’s too soon to say how many Canadian jobs — if any — will be lost when GM moves Camaro production out of Oshawa, Ont.
GM recently unveiled new full-size pickup trucks, a completely redone Chevrolet Corvette and a Cadillac luxury version of the Chevrolet Volt plug-in electric car. It says more announcements are coming.
