'Get the deal done': City, county leaders unite in plea to secure NextStar Energy battery plant
A united front was on full display Monday as community leaders, politicians, business people, unions and educators gathered together at Windsor City Hall to ensure the NextStar Energy battery plant deal gets closed.
The resounding message was crystal clear, with Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens plainly stating, “Get the deal done.”
Construction at the module portion of the NextStar Energy battery plant has been idled for two weeks while Stellantis and LG Energy Solution negotiate with the federal government. While a deal was in place in March of 2022, the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created competitive incentives for companies building electric vehicle components stateside putting pressure on the Canadian government to come back to the table and match those incentives.
“Today we find ourselves at an impasse,” said Dilkens. “And now, the future of the entire project is at risk due to prolonged negotiations with the federal government.”
“We have to make sure everybody's screaming on this,” said Unifor local 444 president Dave Cassidy. He’s been talking with government and company officials every day over the past two weeks and says Stellantis indicates there’s still time to make a deal, but that time is running out.
“I don't think that runway is too long. It's short, and hopefully in the next day or so this will get wrapped up,” he said.
.Stellantis and LG Energy Solution EV battery plant construction site in Windsor, Ont., on Monday, May 15, 2023. (Sijia Liu/CTV News Windsor)
Mayor Dilkens is making a notice of motion at Monday’s city council meeting, urging the federal government to act swiftly to finalize the agreement.
“They are the ones that have the capacity to follow through on the commitment that they made, which is to match the IRA incentives with our largest employer” Dilkens said. “We're going to hold their feet to the fire.”
Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk said the magnitude of the deal is much larger than in March of 2022 but the feds are hoping all sides can stretch to get a deal done.
“This is the most important investment in the history of our community in Windsor Essex and that’s what gives me confidence, we all recognize it, we’re all working towards it, we will get an agreement, we will have a battery plant built here in Windsor,” he said Monday.
CTV reached out to Stellantis, which once again declined to comment Monday.
Dilkens mentioned his biggest fear is that negotiations drag out or go sideway and the company pulls out entirely and relocates the $5 billion investment to Michigan.
Cassidy is confident a deal will get done — and hopes this final push will show the negotiating parties the importance of the project.
“When we're all together and we're moving this forward, we're going to win on this,” he said.
“We are going to win on this project come hell or high water.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
'Secret report' or standard research? B.C. government addresses safe supply allegations
B.C.’s premier and one of his top lieutenants are pushing back against allegations by the Official Opposition that he covertly commissioned a report into the diversion of safe supply drugs onto the streets.
Video shows suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
She was too sick for a traditional transplant. So she received a pig kidney and a heart pump
Doctors have transplanted a pig kidney into a New Jersey woman who was near death, part of a dramatic pair of surgeries that also stabilized her failing heart.
What Canadians think of the latest Liberal budget
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Teacher shortages see some Ontario high school students awarded perfect grades on midterm exams
Students at a high school in York Region have been awarded perfect marks on their midterm exams in three subjects – not because of their academic performances however, but because they had no teacher.