Construction has started on Canada's first lithium-ion electric vehicle battery separator plant in Niagara.
An official ground-breaking ceremony was held yesterday on Asahi Kasei's $1.6 billion manufacturing facility in Port Colborne.
The plant will produce lithium-ion battery separators, a key component of EV batteries.
"Today's groundbreaking is great news for workers and jobs in Port Colborne and the entire Niagara Region as Asahi Kasei prepares to build automotive components to supply the Electric Vehicle supply chain of the future," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West.
"The start of construction on Asahi Kasei's battery separator plant is a major step forward in building Ontario's Electric Vehicle supply chain, connecting minerals in the North with Electric Vehicle battery makers and automakers across the province," said Hon. Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario. "This facility will help lay the groundwork to produce electric vehicles from start to finish by Ontario workers with Ontario-made components, bringing better jobs and bigger paycheques to communities across the province."
The start of construction closely follows the recent announcement of a joint venture between Asahi Kasei and Honda Canada that will be established to oversee construction and production activities at the Port Colborne plant.
Earlier this year, Honda announced plans to establish Canada's first comprehensive Electric Vehicle supply chain.
By 2027, the separator plant is projected to produce enough material to supply approximately one million electric vehicles annually and create more than 300 jobs in Niagara.
"I am truly delighted to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Asahi Kasei battery separator plant," said Bill Steele, Mayor of the City of Port Colborne. "This project marks an historic investment in our community and is a shining example of the fantastic outcomes that can be achieved when we collaborate and pursue common goals."