The battery industry is getting closer to Montreal

The land on which the Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) explosives factory once stood in a southern suburb of Montreal is of interest to Northvolt, which plans to build a battery cell factory in North America, has learned The Press. The European company is also interested in the Côte-Nord and Montreal in its efforts.

In the battery industry, cell manufacturing is the last step before assembling a lithium-ion battery found in electric vehicles. This is the missing link in the ecosystem that the Legault government wants to put in place.

The interest of the Swedish company – which counts BMW, Volvo and Volkswagen among its clients – for McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand is reflected in its recent registration in the Register of Lobbyists. The names of Baie-Comeau and Montreal were added in subsequent updates.

“Northvolt is studying the possibility of building and operating battery production in North America and is therefore in communication with Quebec in order to identify potential sites in the region”, can we read.

Unsurprisingly, lobbying activities aim in particular to identify potential public aid to complete the financing of the plant and ensure that the necessary energy supply is obtained. In addition to Investissement Québec – the financial arm of the Québec state – Northvolt also wants to knock on the door of the Caisse de depot et placement du Québec.

On Friday, the Swedish start-up reiterated that it was still considering a North American complex after announcing the construction of a factory in Germany, a project which will receive generous subsidies from the German authorities. A decision would be made in the coming months.

Quebec in sight

The Press had already revealed Northvolt’s interest in Quebec, but his research became clearer. However, the company is not lobbying in Ontario – which has attracted the Volkswagen battery plant – at this time.

Of the three Quebec locations considered (McMasterville, Baie-Comeau and Montreal), the South Shore seems to have a head start.

According to the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, it would be surprising to see a cell manufacturer set up shop in the metropolis.

One thing is certain, this kind of project would not see the light of day in the Bécancour industrial and port park, the place favored so far by Quebec to lay the foundations of the battery sector. Not only is space starting to run out, but the labor pool is likely insufficient.

“You have to be realistic,” says Mr. Fitzgibbon. We are not going to build a cell factory for 3,000 or 4,000 people in Bécancour. It will not arrive. You have to be able to say to foreign companies: “We can accommodate you and you will be able to recruit here.” »

By establishing itself in the southern suburbs of the metropolis, Northvolt would be closer to the main pool of labor in the province.

Former explosives factory

The land and buildings of the former Canadian Industries Limited (CIL) factory were located on the border of McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand. Located on the banks of the Richelieu, the site, which manufactured explosives, among other things, closed in 1999. Demolition work began the following year.

Asked by The Press, the two municipalities declined to comment on Northvolt’s interest. The mayor of Saint-Basile-le-Grand, Yves Lessard, did not even want to say if he knew that the name of Saint-Basile-le-Grand appeared in the inscription of the cell manufacturer.

“The City does not own the land,” he replied in an email. It is therefore not necessarily aware of all the discussions. »

On his website, real estate developer Luc Poirier says he is considering a “mainly residential multi-use project at the heart of a 182-hectare (1.8 million square meter) site” on the site formerly occupied by the CIL. The former participant in the reality show Double occupation led the questions of The Press towards Habitations Jasmont Deschênes, its “partners” who are in charge of the project. At the time of this writing, it had not been possible to speak with the company.

On the Baie-Comeau side, Mayor Michel Desbiens, elected last February, was unaware of Northvolt’s interest.

“We haven’t had any discussions with this company,” he said in a telephone interview. If she contacts us, we’ll be happy to chat. There are several companies eyeing our industrial park. »