Ford adding 1,000 new jobs at its Canadian plant in Oakville

Ford Motor Co. of Canada says it is adding 1,000 jobs at its plant in Oakville, Ontario, by the end of this year to build the 2015 Ford Edge crossover SUV for the global market.

The automaker said Wednesday it also expects to increase spending on Canadian-made auto parts by $200 million a year.

The 1,000 new jobs and 300 added last year will bring total employment at the plant to more than 4,000 by the end of 2014. Ford also operates an engine plant in Windsor, Ontario and employs a total of about 6,000 in Canada.

A recent Scotiabank report on the global auto industry says that increased vehicle sales in the U.S. as well as a depreciation of the Canadian dollar had benefited the Canadian auto parts sector.