https://windsorstar.com/news/trudeau-prepared-to-financially-back-windsor-battery-plant-bid

Trudeau prepared to financially back Windsor battery plant bid

Author of the article:

Dave Waddell

Publishing date:

Feb 26, 2021  •  50 minutes ago  •  4 minute read  •  Join the conversation

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Windsor’s efforts to land Canada’s first electric vehicle battery plant received a boost Friday when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau confirmed the federal government would back the bid with the same level of financial commitment it has made to the Detroit 3 automakers’ electrification plans.

Windsor is trying to land a $2-billion battery manufacturing plant that would create 2,000 direct jobs.

“Absolutely,” said Trudeau when asked if the federal government was prepared to invest at the same level to establish a domestic electric vehicle battery supply chain.

“It’s all part of a very deliberate approach by this government to recognize the amount of jobs and economic opportunity, not just in Windsor, but across Ontario and across the country, in terms of shifting towards greener technology and greener investments and innovation.”

The Liberal government agreed last fall to invest $295 million in Ford’s Oakville production complex, which was matched by the Ontario government, as part of the company’s transformation of the facility into an entirely electric vehicle plant.

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This is very much part of our plan

The government has also made hefty commitments to help Stellantis electrify its Windsor minivan assembly plant and to General Motors.

Government funding will help GM with the $1-billion conversion of its Ingersoll CAMI facility into the home for the new EV600 electric van. EV600 production is slated to begin in late 2021.

“I’ve heard about this potential plant for Windsor and we’ll certainly be supporting and putting money forward to make sure the bid is attractive as possible because we’re talking about thousands of potential jobs there,” Trudeau said in a phone interview with the Windsor Star.

Trudeau said Canada intends to make itself a major player in both the manufacturing and supply side of the green industrial sector.

The mining industry will also benefit from such investments as Canada is rich in the natural resources required by green industries.

“We have a tremendous advantage in terms of critical supplies of minerals that are needed in supply chains,” Trudeau said. “Around the world people are realizing China controls an awful lot of the supply of the world’s critical minerals for critical things like batteries and other advanced technologies.

“The Americans and others are very interested in building up supply chains.”

The prime minister said Ontario’s automotive sector has the key ingredients of labour, experience and geographical location to complement the nation’s resources.

“It’s a perfect example of how Canada can match our natural resource industries with our extraordinarily strong workforce and the capacity in manufacturing that a place like Windsor-Essex has demonstrated,” Trudeau said.

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“This (Windsor) proposal and others we’ll be working hard on bringing in and reaching out for. This is very much part of our plan, that we make sure the future has good jobs for all Canadians.”