The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has invested in its manufacturing plant in Napanee, Ontario, with a view to meeting the demands of the electric vehicle (EV) and all-terrain tire industries.
The project, which began earlier this year and is expected to be completed by mid-2027, is supported by a multilevel public-private partnership. The expansion includes more than C$575m in investments from Goodyear, with contributions from the government of Canada, the government of Ontario and local municipalities.
The government of Canada is contributing C$44.3m through its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to support both Goodyear and Canada’s broader automotive manufacturing supply chain. The government of Ontario, through Invest Ontario, is adding C$20 million to support technologies and skills training. Additionally, local governments, including the town of Greater Napanee, the township of Stone Mills and the county of Lennox and Addington, will provide approximately C$2m in incentives across four years through an Industrial Community Improvement Plan.
“Goodyear Canada’s investment is another significant boost to Ontario’s growing electric vehicle sector, building on the $43bn that has been invested in the sector over the past four years. 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,” explained Doug Ford, premier of Ontario.
These efforts, according to Goodyear, will also create 200 new skilled manufacturing jobs in Eastern Ontario, increasing the facility’s workforce to more than 1,000 employees.
Mark Stewart, Goodyear’s chief executive officer and president, commented, “We are appreciative to the federal, provincial and local governments for their support and to our Napanee associates for their dedication to building the next generation of tires.”
“Goodyear Canada is Greater Napanee’s largest employer and has been an exemplary corporate partner in our region for over 35 years. This investment will ensure further growth for our region well into the future. On behalf of the town of Greater Napanee, I would like to thank our federal and provincial partners for this investment in Goodyear Napanee and our community,” added Terry Richardson, mayor of Greater Napanee.
