Big bucks will keep Stellantis in Canada

Plus, last night's mayoral debate and a new immigration program [The Star] First Up [By Manuela Vega] By Manuela Vega Good morning. Toronto is in for a scorching week — [here’s how to stay safe during the heat warning](. Here’s the latest on the Stellantis EV battery plant, the Toronto election and a new immigration program. DON’T MISS Canadian Press/Tara Walton STAR EXCLUSIVE [Justin Trudeau and Doug Ford reach tentative deal worth billions more to save Stellantis EV battery plant]( Thanks to a deal that could be worth more than $13 billion in subsidies, the federal and provincial governments may be able to save the Stellantis battery factory in Windsor, the Star has learned. The auto giant had halted construction on the plant following a revelation by the Star that the French company could be lured to the U.S. by generous subsidies. Robert Benzie and Tonda MacCharles report on the [details of the deal, according to sources speaking confidentially to discuss the negotiations](. - Go deeper: With the new deal, Stellantis may receive even more Canadian tax dollars than Volkswagen is getting to build a similar electric-vehicle “gigafactory” near London, even though it’s slated to be a smaller plant. - By the numbers: The Windsor plant is expected to employ 2,500 workers when it opens next year. - More: After the Star published this story on Wednesday afternoon, top federal and provincial officials insisted details are still being hammered out and “it’s premature” because there’s “a bit more work to do.” Lance McMillan/The Star race for city hall [The winners and losers of the mayoral debate co-hosted by the Star]( On Wednesday night, the six-front running candidates of the mayoral race went toe-to-toe at a debate hosted by the Toronto Star, United Way Greater Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University. The winner? Housing policy, Alyshah Hasham writes. The candidates presented many great ideas for how to have more housing built faster, leaving the question of which candidate will make it happen in the face of a number of challenges. The loser? Property tax discussions. Olivia Chow fought off attacks on her ideas for property taxes, saying any increase would be a “modest number,” but that starting with a figure is designing a budget backward rather than “people first.” [Here’s a breakdown of where else viewers got helpful insights on the candidates](. - Go deeper: Are candidates trying to shake Chow’s lead in the polls? [Take a closer look at the questions fired by other candidates about property taxes — and how Chow shot back](. - Catch up: The Star provided live updates during the televised debate. [You can read them here or watch for yourself](. - Another angle: On June 26, it’s up to Torontonians to decide how our next mayor will lead. [Here’s how to identify a worthy candidate](. Canadian Press/Patrick Doyle immigration [Canada has launched a new immigration program to fill “in-demand” jobs]( With a new system designed to better align newcomers with Canada’s labour market needs, immigrants with backgrounds in health care, STEM, transport, the trades, agriculture and agri-food could be chosen for permanent residence — especially if they have strong French language skills. The “category-based selection,” or “targeted draw” of skilled immigrants, was first announced last June, Nicholas Keung reports. [Take a closer look at the details and how the program changes the process for permanent residence](. - Word from Ottawa: The program can help grow the economy and fill labour shortages, while also helping secure “the vitality of French-speaking communities,” Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said in a statement. “Put simply, Canada’s immigration system has never been more responsive to the country’s social or economic needs.” - Watch for: More information on the timing of invitations and how to apply will be announced in the coming weeks, Fraser said. WHAT ELSE In a rare move, the Ford government has [cancelled its “clueless” plan to allow housing on prime farmland after facing backlash](. Defying opposition parties, David Johnston is refusing to quit the probe into foreign interference. [This is what he has to say](. A Nova Scotia wildfire might soon be able to make its own weather. [Here’s how that could be even worse](. Sixteen children were sent to the hospital after an incident at a Winnipeg field trip. [Here’s what we know](. The debate over defunding Ontario’s Catholic schools is raging again. [Experts say doing it is actually quite simple](. A pride flag has been lowered and torn down outside a Niagara Region church. [Here’s what investigators say](. Toronto police have charged six people, including a 15-year-old, [in a child porn bust](. Russia jailed this prominent opposition figure for treason. [Could honorary Canadian citizenship save his life?]( [The March incident “is in the rearview mirror” with Flair Airlines]( reporting a spike in sales amid the WestJet pilot uncertainty. If most Canadians believe we’re in a recession, [then why are so many people still working?]( The future of the iconic Toronto Fringe Festival is in jeopardy. [Experts warn its struggles are indicative of issues affecting the wider performing arts sector](. “That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson is guilty of two rape counts. [Here’s what the survivors are saying — and how the Church of Scientology played a role](. POV Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick [Is the foreign election-meddling scandal really worth the airtime? ]( CLOSE-UP Steve Russell/The Star DUNDAS ST.: John Clarke, the British-born union activist who founded the poverty activist group OCAP, speaks on December 15, 2016. [Here’s why, amid great need, the group is ceasing operations after more than 30 years](. Thank you for reading. You can reach me and the First Up team at [firstup@thestar.ca](mailto:firstup@thestar.ca?source=newsletter&utm_source=ts_nl&utm_medium=emailutm_email=6C53B63A8E3FAD70AD4EF13004527437&utm_campaign=frst_184603). I’ll see you back here tomorrow. 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