Chrysler will be given $200 million today of its $800 million promise, while GM will receive a similar sized portion of a $2.4 billion packaged promised to it next month, reports The Detroit News. Both carmakers had hoped to borrow up to $9.1 billion from the Canadian government and even threatened to cut production or pull out altogether.
Canada’s plans for GM and Chrysler almost mirror those set by the U.S. government earlier today. GM of Canada will have 60 days to make changes to its restructuring plan, including demands for further labor and legacy cost cuts, while Chrysler will get 30 days to sign a deal with Fiat and finalize negotiations with the unions.
The Canadian auto industry is roughly one fifth the size of the U.S. one and employs more than 150,000 people directly, with a further 340,000 employed indirectly through supplier and financial firms.