Oakville, Ont.: Ford of Canada says it will hire up to 500 workers at its Oakville, Ont., assembly plant by July.
The automaker says it needs the staff to keep up with demand for its Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover utility vehicles.
Those products will be joined in July by the new Ford Flex, a full-size crossover utility vehicle.
Ford spokeswoman Lauren More says the jobs will be offered first to 700 laid-off workers in Windsor before applications are opened to others.
Canadian Auto Workers union president Buzz Hargrove hails the announcement as a welcome bit of good news in a hard-hit industry.
The Oakville expansion is the second jobs boost Ford has delivered for Ontario in the past month after saying it would reopen an engine plant in Windsor, bringing back 300 of almost 1,000 laid-off workers.

© 2008 The Canadian Press