ST. THOMAS, Ont. (CP) -- A deal may be near to turn the shuttered Sterling Truck plant in St. Thomas, Ont., into a manufacturer of green energy products.
The local Conservative MP, Joe Preston, says a memorandum of agreement is in place to develop green energy platforms, including solar panels.
Preston cautions, however, that nothing has been finalized and he can't say when that might happen.
Talks continue between the unidentified national manufacturer and DaimlerChrysler, which owned Sterling Truck, to buy the plant.
Sterling shut down last spring, cutting 2,000 jobs, and 1,600 jobs will be lost when Ford closes its St. Thomas plant in 2011.
The Sterling development wouldn't be the first area foray into green energy manufacturing. Presstran and Formet, two Magna-owned auto parts plants in St. Thomas, are looking to develop green energy products at their under-used facilities.