TORONTO, June 8 (Reuters) - General Motors (NYSE:GM) Co's GM.N
Canadian unit is set to announce on Friday that it will hire up
to 1,000 engineers, the Globe and Mail reported late on Tuesday,
citing sources.
The company has a media event scheduled for Friday at its
engineering center in Oshawa, Ontario. Spokeswoman Adria
MacKenzie declined to say what will be announced.
"While there is speculation about the news, GM Canada is
looking forward to sharing the news during the event," she said
in an email.
The Globe and Mail said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was
expected to attend the event along with Ontario Premier Kathleen
Wynne. The prime minister's office did not immediately comment,
but a spokesman for the premier confirmed she would be there.
With the future of its manufacturing sites unclear, GM
Canada has been expanding research and development in recent
years, with the Oshawa facility part of a push to develop
self-driving vehicles. In April 2015, GM said it was hiring 100
software engineers in Canada.
Meanwhile its consolidated assembly line, one of two
remaining GM assembly lines in Oshawa, has been on the brink of
closure since 2008. Last August GM said it would keep the line
operating until 2017, the latest in a string of extensions.
The consolidated line produces the Chevrolet Equinox and the
previous generation Chevrolet Impala. The flex line, GM's other
Oshawa line, produces the current model Impala, Buick Regal,
Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac XTS.