OTTAWA, Ont.: General Dynamics says it is temporarily cutting 30 jobs at its plant in Edmonton that does overhaul work on the armys fleet of light armoured vehicles.

Ken Yamashita, a company spokesman, said those jobs will be filled again early next year when work begins on a contract to upgrade hundreds of the LAV IIIs.

Last October the federal government announced details of the $1.06 billion upgrade program, touting the jobs it would create.

The Federal NDP said up to 110 workers are being laid off at an Edmonton plant.

In Parliament, Edmonton NDP MP Linda Duncan asked public works minister Rona Ambrose to confirm the layoffs.

Ambrose said the layoff was a decision made by a private sector company, but declined to provide any details.

Yamashita said the 30 jobs that are being temporarily cut in Edmonton involve work on light armoured vehicles, but they are not linked to the billion dollar contract.

That contract calls for upgrading 550 LAV IIIs to better withstand deadly roadside bombs and to improve their mobility and firepower.

The overhaul and upgrades are to be done at General Dynamics plants in Edmonton and London, Ont.

©The Canadian Press