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TORONTO, Aug 18 (Reuters) - The auto industry in Ontario was scaling back production on Monday after the provincial government urged big electricity users to take conservation measures as it attempted to return the power system to normal after the worst blackout in North American history.
General Motors of Canada said about 11,500 of its workers across Ontario were either laid off temporarily or were working shifts during non-peak hours to help save power.
Seven of General Motors' nine facilities in Ontario had cut back operations, spokesman Stew Low said. He said he could not break down how many workers were laid off and how many were working different shifts.
Ford Motor Co. of Canada said it had cut the day production shift at its Oakville, Ontario, plant and shuttered its headquarters to save power.
About a 1,000 workers build Ford cars during the day shift at Oakville and 600 people work at headquarters, Ford Canada spokeswoman Lauren More told Reuters.
DaimlerChrysler Canada said it would eliminate nonessential lighting and electrical use at all of its facilities across Ontario.
The company said its assembly plant in Windsor, Ontario, would not operate and its casting plant in Toronto would operate at 50 percent capacity. The company said it would also idle its automotive research center in Windsor and two laboratories.
GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler spokespersons all said they did not know if they would step up production on Tuesday. "At this point we are taking it on a day-by-day basis," Ford's More said.
Toyota Motor Canada said it was shutting down both shifts assembling its Lexus model at its Cambridge, Ontario, plant in addition to cutting back on lights and air conditioning.
The electricity supply in Ontario was still not at full steam on Monday as several nuclear generators that went out of service during Thursday's blackout were not yet back on line. More than a third of the province's electricity comes from nuclear stations.
($1=$1.39 Canadian)