One of Canada's leading auto industry analysts is upbeat about the progress in talks with Unifor and the domestic automakers.
Dennis Desrosiers sees the tentative deal with FCA Canada as a win, win, win.
He says the first 2 wins are the wage increase for workers and labour peace for FCA, the 3rd win is the change in direction for investment: "we've really struggled attracting investment in this country, in the automotive sector at least, and this contract and the GM contract did exactly that. Put them together and it's close to a billion dollar investment. That's pretty significant in my mind"
He says the investment in the paint shop at the Bramalea plant is critical, because that facility was on the bubble for closure.
Desrosiers says coming to a deal on investment with Ford is going to be the most challenging because the company has just made a major upgrade to the Oakville plant.
Desrosiers agrees an investment in one of the Windsor engine plants is the key, but he's not aware of any engine product in Ford's pipeline that makes sense at either the Windsor or Essex engine plant.
Desrosiers says these deals which bring auto investment to Canada are a turn in the right direction, but he believes much more needs to be done and the work of so-called auto czar Ray Tanguay is far from done.