General Motors will significantly expand its engineering and software development work in Ontario, the company has announced.

This investment will boost the province's economy and create over 700 jobs. It will also allow the Canadian Technical Centre to play a leading role in developing the next generation of connected, autonomous, and alternative-fuel vehicles.

With this investment, GM will build a major software development center in Markham and upgrade its cold weather testing facility in Kapuskasing, doubling the length of its test track. Over the next few years, it will also expand its Ontario-based engineering team with more than 700 new positions.

Ontario is the largest vehicle producer in North America and the only sub-national jurisdiction to have five major global automotive assembers: Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, and Toyota. The province has invested over $1.1 billion since 2004 to leverage more than $12 billion in total industry investment. It is also the first Canadian province to allow on-road testing on automated vehicles.