When asked about what they would like to see from Ford under incoming Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley’s leadership, dealers who spoke with Automotive News Canada were unanimous about their desire for new product.

Unifor has made it abundantly clear that it wants at least one new product to be built alongside the minivans at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Windsor, Ont., assembly plant. But what could be assembled there?

According to the union, 81 per cent of workers who voted supported the contract. Workers voted virtually on the deal Sunday through Monday morning.

Unifor wants as many as two new models to be built alongside the minivans at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Windsor, Ont., assembly plant, where one of three shifts was recently cut amid shrinking sales in the segment.

Wage gains for members include a two-year reduction in the contentious 10-year wage grow-in period, two $2,000 “inflation protection” bonuses, a $7,250 “productivity and quality bonus” and two general wage increases of 2.5 per cent for workers at the full pay rate, according to the union.

The Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association says the investment shows that Canada can position itself to produce EVs as more of them come online and provides proof that the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s regional content requirements work when it comes to spurring domestic investment.

Ford’s tentative three-year contract with Unifor still needs to be ratified by union members. Many of them will be interested in learning more details of Ford’s plan, as well as any changes to wages, pensions and benefits.

Terms between the automaker and the Canadian union were reached after the two sides agreed to continue talks past a Monday night deadline. The deal still must be ratified by workers.

The extension temporarily averts a potential strike by about 6,300 Ford workers, though Unifor would be in a legal position to do so on Tuesday. Talks have focused extensively on product plans for Ford’s Oakville, Ont., plant.

AutoForecast Solutions says it is expected that Ford would build many of its upcoming EVs in Mexico and that it was unclear which vehicle would be built in Oakville, should the company choose to go that route.

The Toronto Star reports the federal government is willing to offer Ford $500 million to help retool the Oakville, Ont., plant to produce electric vehicles while Unifor maintains radio silence. Meanwhile, Ontario says it will “closely monitor” talks, and one auto forecaster says moving Ford EV production to Canada could be complicated. But, the APMA says the supply chain is ready to support EV production while Premier Doug Ford touted the province's natural resources. Live updates.

Unifor and Ford Motor Co. remain “miles apart” in bargaining as Monday’s contract expiration looms, according to union president Jerry Dias. But Ford COO Jim Farley, who will take over as CEO on Oct. 1, said discussions with Unifor were “going great.”

Organizers have submitted a petition to Unifor leaders demanding that they disclose the full contents of tentative contracts with the Detroit automakers ahead of ratification votes. Unifor President Jerry Dias says he won't be dealing with petition and has kicked it down the chain of command, to local union leaders.

Should the Detroit Three automakers agree to the three-year contracts Unifor President Jerry Dias is going after, Unifor and the UAW would negotiate for new production at the same time.

Talk with many Canadian suppliers and you’ll hear excitement about what the coming years could bring to the industry as new regional content requirements for the USMCA. But talk to auto forecasters and they say it's not impossible to envision a Canada in which the Detroit Three no longer assembles vehicles.