In a statement U.S. carmaker General Motors Co stated, it has reached a tentative deal with labor union Unifor following which it aims to invest around $785.42 million (C$1 billion) in its CAMI Assembly Plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, to manufacture commercial electric vans.

Under the terms of the tentative deal, which is yet to be ratified by the union workers, GM has agreed to begin large-scale commercial production of an electric van, EV600, at its CAMI plant, said Unifor in a statement.

Work will commence immediately at the plant, said GM.

The deal builds upon recent investments by GM in Canada, wherein in November it had agreed to sink in C$1 billion in its Oshawa plant to expand production of its full-size pickup trucks.

Welcoming the deal the Canadian government said it would confirm its support as soon as the union members ratified the deal.

“We await the results of the ratification vote,” said Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister François-Philippe Champagne in a statement.

According to Unifor, the union representing hourly workers in Canada, more details of the deal would be presented to local members of the union at an online ratification meeting scheduled for January 17, the results of which are scheduled to be released a day later.

($1 = 1.2732 Canadian dollars)

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