GM to recruit 700 engineers in Canada

Car maker to further expand R&D in driverless vehicles

General Motors in Canada has announced plans to hire around 700 engineers as it expands R&D into self-driving cars, software development and urban mobility technologies. 

The expansion will take place at a technical centre in Oshawa, Ontario, a new "Urban Mobility Centre" in Toronto and a new Software Development Centre in Markham, Ontario. It will increase the number of engineers working at these sites to a total of 1,000 positions in the next few years.

The recruits will focus on autonomous vehicle software and controls development, safety, infotainment and connected vehicles. GM said hiring has already started.

The company made the announcement with the support of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the investments will create good-paying jobs and help to grow Canada's middle class.

GM executive vice president Mark Reuss, said, “We selected Canada for this expansion because of its clear capacity for innovation, proven talent and strong ecosystem of great universities, startups and innovative suppliers.”

The news comes just over a year after GM announced 100 new engineering jobs in Oshawa, and after the manufacturer committed to invest £560 million in research and development in Canada after the Canadian and Ontario governments gave it over £7 billion to help it weather the US led financial crisis of 2008-2009.