Strengthening battery manufacturing in British Columbia to secure good jobs and keep our air clean

MAPLE RIDGE, BC, Nov. 14, 2023 /CNW/ – Across the battery supply chain – from mining and processing critical minerals, to manufacturing batteries and their components – Canada is attracting job-creating projects from around the world. By making Canada a global leader on batteries, we create middle-class jobs, grow our economy, and keep our air clean for generations to come.

The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, was joined today by the Premier of British Columbia, David Eby, and the Mayor of Maple Ridge, Dan Ruimy, to announce support for a major lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facility in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.

The $1 billion new facility, constructed by leading battery company E-One Moli, will create up to 350 new jobs and secure over 100 existing positions. The facility, powered by British Columbia’s clean energy supply, is expected to produce up to 135 million battery cells per year and become the largest factory in Canada for high performance lithium-ion battery cells. This facility will bolster British Columbia’s role in Canada’s world-leading battery supply chain.

As part of the federal government’s strategy on securing key battery manufacturing facilities, the Government of Canada will contribute up to $204.5 million to support the project, through the Strategic Innovation Fund’s Net Zero Accelerator Initiative. The Government of British Columbia will contribute $80 million to the construction of the facility.

Working together with provinces and territories to support landmark, job-creating clean technology projects secures middle-class jobs for decades to come, builds a strong, competitive economy, and helps keep our air clean.

Quotes
“British Columbians have long been known for their innovation in the clean technology space. Today, as we secure a major clean battery manufacturing project in Maple Ridge, we build on that expertise to secure hundreds of middle-class jobs while fighting climate change. The world is looking to Canada. When we support projects like E-One Moli’s new facility in Maple Ridge, we bolster Canada’s role as a global clean tech leader, we create good jobs, and we help keep our air clean.”
— The Rt. Hon. Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

“As our province builds a stronger, cleaner economy, we open the door to immense opportunities in the private sector that value British Columbia as a centre for innovation, investment, and cutting-edge technology. The new E-One Moli advanced manufacturing plant will create hundreds of good, local jobs and continue to establish British Columbia as a leader in building a clean energy future.”
— The Hon. David Eby, Premier of British Columbia

“Canada is becoming a global leader in battery manufacturing thanks to all our advantages – access to global markets, a highly talented workforce, and all the critical mineral resources necessary to make batteries – and world-leading companies want in! E-One Moli is the latest company to establish a new battery manufacturing project in Canada, and I am excited to see their project come to fruition as their new facility will help expand the electrification of consumer products and offer new energy alternatives in sectors such as construction and health care. With E-One Moli, we are securing well-paying jobs for the people of British Columbia, while building a greener, more sustainable, and resilient economy.”
— The Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Canada is immensely well positioned to thrive in the low-carbon economy of the future. Economic opportunities, like today’s exciting investment in E-One Moli’s new facility, are not only an integral part of our plan to lower carbon emissions and fight climate change, but also to create and maintain good jobs and secure strategic value chains, from mines and mineral processing to advanced manufacturing, in every region of Canada.”
— The Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources

“This investment in British Columbia by E-One Moli is a powerful example of a global leader in clean technology manufacturing choosing to anchor its North American production and operations here at home. Jurisdictions around the world are competing for investment capital and British Columbia has shown time and again that our province is stronger when we invest in people and the vision they have for a cleaner future. In British Columbia, we are interested in businesses that will build an economy to benefit British Columbians for generations to come.”
— The Hon. Brenda Bailey, British Columbia’s Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation

“E-One Moli has been a long-time employer in Maple Ridge. This investment in the expansion of a new clean tech manufacturing facility is an economic milestone to support job creation and growth in our community. It aligns with the city’s economic development and climate action strategies. This kind of growth and investment in businesses like E-One Moli helps to diversify our tax base and enable Maple Ridge to invest in our community infrastructure. We thank the provincial and federal government for their funding and support of E-One Moli.”
— His Worship Dan Ruimy, Mayor of Maple Ridge

“E-One Moli believes in ‘Total Climate Commitment’ as well as ‘Total Care Commitment’ and looks forward to producing a pure green battery to support the world’s energy transition.”
— Nelson Chang, Chairman, TCC Group, E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd., and E-One Moli Quantum Energy (Canada) Ltd.

Quick Facts

Today’s announcement builds on the many agreements Canada has signed this year to bring billions in investments, and thousands of good-quality jobs, to grow our battery and electric vehicle manufacturing sectors across the country.The lithium-ion battery cells produced in Maple Ridge will be used to electrify devices that have traditionally relied on diesel, including consumer electronics, power tools, medical devices, high-performance vehicles, and aerospace applications – helping to support the transition to cleaner, more efficient energy sources.E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd. is a subsidiary of E-One Moli Energy Corporation, a global manufacturer that specializes in high-performance, superior quality, rechargeable lithium-ion cell products. E-One Moli Quantum Energy (Canada) Ltd. is a subsidiary of E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Ltd. that will be responsible for the new facility’s manufacturing operations once the project is completed.Construction of the E-One Moli manufacturing facility is expected to begin in June 2024, and the facility is expected to be fully operational in 2028.Budget 2023 allocated $500 million over 10 years to the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) to support the development and application of clean technologies. The SIF will also direct up to $1.5 billion of its existing resources toward projects in clean technologies, critical minerals, and industrial transformation.The Net Zero Accelerator (NZA) Initiative, part of the SIF program, invites forward-looking Canadian companies to contribute to Canada’s global leadership efforts and meet its ambitious emissions reduction targets.

Associated Links

Strategic Innovation FundNet Zero AcceleratorE-One Moli Energy Corporation

This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca

SOURCE Prime Minister’s Office