NextStar Energy held a ceremony on May 8 to mark the achievement of 8 million safe work hours on construction of the company’s EV battery plant in Windsor.

Construction of the 4.23 million-square-foot facility is being led by Alberici-Barton Malow (A-BM). The work began in 2022 and proceeded at a rapid pace. Now nearing completion, the majority of the work remaining is being done on equipment installation. 

"This achievement marks more than work hours. It’s a reflection of the incredible dedication and collaborative efforts from countless individuals, working together to bring NextStar Energy to life,” said Danies Lee, CEO of NextStar Energy. “I’m incredibly grateful to our partners who have undoubtedly set a new standard of excellence.”  

To date, more than 9,000 Canadian trades workers have contributed to the 8 million safe work hours logged on the project, equivalent to approximately 913 years.

"Eight million safe work hours is an incredible milestone, demonstrating not only the scale of work being done, but A-BM's unwavering commitment to a safety-first environment,” said Sean Thibeault, project director at A-BM. “I’m extremely proud of the commitment put forth by the incredibly skilled tradespeople, the A-BM team and our subcontractor partners for their dedication to upholding our core safety values.”

“On behalf of the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario, I want to congratulate the workers at the NextStar Energy project for reaching a significant milestone of 8 million safe work hours. The focus on safety never stops, ensuring that each and every worker goes home safely at the end of the work day,” said Marc Arsenault, business manager and secretary-treasurer - Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario.

NextStar Energy has been producing battery modules since fall 2024 and plans to begin cell production later this year.

Once complete, the facility will be the first large-scale domestic battery manufacturing facility in Canada.