TOPIC 'Ecological Electricity' on Feb 03, 2009 (CET)
Canada In Good Position For Green Job Creation If Government Will Lend Support
Ford and Magna International are partnering to build a car that is completely electric and will operate up to 160 km on one charge. Jobs will increase at Magna due to this joint project. Experts say Canada is in a good position to take advantage of the benefits offered by new, green auto technology. However, many say that full potential can only be reached with assistance from the Canadian Government.
A professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, Joe D’Cruz, said that Magna is the only Canadian corporation that could join forces with Ford for such a large contract. Magna International is an auto parts manufacturer. D’Cruz said Magna is the only parts company in the country with the wherewithal to be part of such a venture without the government’s help. Most of the other Canadian firms that have similar capability, he went on, are more reactive than proactive with regard to technology development.
With similar sentiment, Bill Pochiluk, President of Automotive Compass LLC, agreed that Canada has the capability and the resources to be a leader in the global market of green technology for automobiles, but more funding needs to come from the government. Funding for research and development is a critical component of successful technology and many say Canada’s Government could do more in that area.
Pochiluk, an advisor to the industry, said that the United States has $25 billion set aside for automotive research and development, while Canada invests only $500,000 per year. The concern is that while Canada is rich in resources that could be used for manufacturing, the likelihood that components for electric and hybrid vehicles could end up being made in the U.S. or elsewhere is high.
D’Cruz insists mega opportunities currently exist for auto parts manufacturers, but they need more funding to make the most of those possibilities.
Sherry Irvin
on behalf of the
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