$154 million Alliston expansion

’s Economic Development & Trade Minister Joe Cordiano joined

executives recently to announce a $154 million

investment. The investment will create 340 jobs and increase the company's presence in the province by bringing a new fully integrated powertrain facility to Alliston.

"Our government has worked hard and aggressively to attract new automotive investments like this Honda engine facility," said Cordiano. "We're creating the best environment for our auto industry to compete with any jurisdiction around the globe. Honda's project is the latest in an unprecedented line of new automotive investments worth more than $7 billion for our province that have brought thousands of jobs."

Ontario is investing up to ten per cent of the total project cost of the new engine facility. The new plant will build four-litre engines for its Civic models, with production beginning in 2008. The integrated engine facility will supply one of Honda's two assembly plants with the capacity to adapt to different and more technologically advanced models in the future.

Honda Canada built its first vehicle assembly facility in Alliston in 1986, an adjacent second truck assembly facility in 1996, and now Honda is expanding the size of the site to make way for the new powertrain plant.

Last year Honda produced more than 385,000 vehicles at its two Alliston assembly plants, making it the third largest producer of cars and light trucks in the province. Honda currently employs 4,300 workers at its Alliston facilities and another 400 at its

headquarters.