Guelph Tribune – Doug Hallett – Tuesday, January, 13, 2015

Linamar Corp., which already has about 7,000 employees in 23 Guelph facilities, plans to create up to 1,200 new jobs over the next 10 years as a result of a major new investment aided by the federal and provincial governments. The new $507-million program to develop fuel-efficient automotive transmissions, announced Monday, includes a grant of $50.25 million from the province and a $50.7-million repayable loan from the federal government.

Linamar CEO Linda Hasenfratz said the Guelph-based auto parts manufacturing company, which has operations in 12 countries, is succeeding because of a combination of innovation and efficiency.

“Our Canadian plants are our company’s most productive globally thanks to a talented, skilled workforce with an amazing work ethic and a dedication to process and product innovation,” she said.

At a news conference in Guelph that included Premier Kathleen Wynne and Federal Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt, Hasenfratz thanked both levels of government for doing their parts in helping companies like Linamar remain competitive. She cited low corporate taxes in Canada, an increased focus on free trade and a focus on education.

The federal contribution to the program is coming from the government’s Automotive Innovation Fund, created in 2008.