Could Tesla’s growth go through Canada? Maybe. The electric vehicle company has begun approaches with the Ontario government to potentially build “advanced manufacturing facilities” within the province.
A statement on the Ontario Lobbyist Registry confirms the company’s interest in Canada as it moves to “work with the government [ontarien] and its agencies to identify opportunities for industrial facilities and/or advanced manufacturing”.
The company wants to meet with provincial government officials to identify “incentive programs that could further increase Ontario’s attractiveness for investment in industry and/or advanced manufacturing,” it details. the statement.
This new objective is in addition to other lobbying activities that Tesla was already carrying out with the Ontario government, in particular in connection with the regulations concerning electric vehicles or solar energy. The company is also already present in Ontario, where it has a production plant for battery manufacturing equipment in Markham, near Toronto.
On August 4, at Tesla’s annual shareholders’ meeting, company CEO Elon Musk asked attendees about the location of a future factory, according to reports. Electric Autonomy, an information site specializing in the electrification of transport. “We hear a lot about Canada. I’m half Canadian, should I? he asked.
And in Quebec…
Is Tesla interested in Quebec? “We are in discussion with most of the international players in the electric transport sector. We have nothing specific to disclose,” said Mathieu St-Amand, spokesperson for the office of Quebec Minister of Economy and Innovation, Pierre Fitzgibbon, by email.
Asked whether the federal government was involved in the steps concerning the possible installation of a plant in Canada, the federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry contented itself with confirming that it had held a meeting recently in June with representatives of the company – without specifying the exact content of this meeting.
“It is good to see that our government’s investments are attracting the attention of automakers and businesses around the world. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure that Canadians can benefit from the global transition to electric vehicles,” ministry spokesperson Laurie Bouchard said by email.