Windsor calls on feds to end Stellantis impasse
The City of Windsor is calling for the federal government to step up and ensure construction restarts on the NextStar Energy electric vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing facility.
Mayor Drew Dilkens, along with members of City Council and city administration, announced an intention to bring forward a Notice of Motion urging the federal government to act swiftly to finalize the agreement to keep the project moving forward.
Valued at $5 billion, the NextStar facility is poised to create more than 3,000 new jobs, aligning with Windsor's economic development strategy.
Announced in March 2022, the facility was intended to include both the module and battery-cell components. However, construction on the module section has recently come to a halt due to negotiations around incentives.
Dilkens emphasized the significant risk the construction stoppage poses to Windsor's jobs, growth, and economic outlook, raising concerns about whether the city will see the full plant as initially promised, including the battery-cell, module, and research-and-development components.
“We all recognize the extraordinary opportunity presented by the EV battery manufacturing facility and its location in Windsor,” Dilkens said. “It is a rare chance for our city to undergo a remarkable transformation, emerge as a leader in the green economy, and participate in the evolution of the automotive industry. We must work together to ensure that Windsor receives all that was committed to us – the module, battery-cell and research-and-development components.”
To date, the City of Windsor has fulfilled all its project commitments. The Province of Ontario has also agreed to provide additional funding to safeguard the investment. The Windsor motion urges the federal government to reach a definitive solution that guarantees the completion and operation of the entire facility as originally planned and promised for Windsor.
“The uncertainty poses a threat both to this project and to future economic development projects in our community,” said Dilkens. “The motion, combined with the petition initiated last week, sends a resounding message to the federal government and all stakeholders involved, emphasizing our unwavering determination to seize this opportunity and secure our economic future.”