Honda CR-V begins production in Ontario plant

Honda Canada celebrates the start of mass production of the all-new 2012 CR-V, now made in Canada at the company's manufacturing facility in Alliston, Ontario. (Left to Right) Nobuyuki Sanui, President, Honda of Canada Mfg. and Takashi Sekiguchi, President and CEO, Honda Canada Inc.

Honda Canada officially began production of the 2012 Honda CR-V at its plant in Alliston today. The CR-V is Canada’s top-selling SUV. Calling it the “gold standard” in the compact SUV segment, Jerry Chenkin, Honda Canada’s executive vice president,  said he was proud it was being built in this country.

The Alliston plant now produces four distinct models: Civic, CR-V, MDX and ZDX. It is the only Honda plant in North America to produce four models on one line.

Honda has been manufacturing cars in Canada since 1987. In the twenty-five years since it began, the company has built 6 million vehicles and invested more than $2.6 billion in Canada. The company also purchases more than $1.1 billion in goods from Canadian suppliers each year, according to a statement issued by Honda Canada.

Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development and Innovation, Brad Duguid, said in a statement that the inauguration of the CR-V at Alliston shows Honda’s confidence in Ontario’s economy and secures the province’s position as “a top auto manufacturing hub in North America.” The move also protects jobs in the valuable auto sector, he said. The auto sector in Ontario supports approximately 400,000 jobs, according to the minister’s statement.

Honda Canada employs approximately 4,700 “associates” in its assembly plants, as well as 15,000 dealership personnel across the country. In addition to the four vehicle models built at the two assembly plants in Alliston, a third plant produces 4-cylinder engines for the Honda Civic.