Windsor battery plant progress update: Home demolished and build going 'vertical'

The house at 3455 Banwell Road has now been demolished in Windsor, Ont., on Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (Michelle Maluske/CTV News Windsor)

The City of Windsor has offered an update on the work to build the NextStar Energy Inc. battery factory.

The house at 3455 Banwell Road has now been demolished, after the sale was finalized through a “non-contested expropriation” by the city. Officials won’t say how much money they paid for the home.

It was the last remaining parcel of land needed for the 220-acre, sprawling facility at the corner of E.C. Row Expressway and Banwell Road.

In addition to the residence being torn down, city officials say the project is now moving “vertical” and anyone driving by will be able to see the initial starts of some steel deliveries as well as some footings being installed.

Work is progressing quickly at the site as it’s expected to be done by 2025. Officials project it will create up to 3,000 jobs once up and running.

According to Chief of Staff Andrew Teliszewsky, Windsor took out a loan of up to $46 million to pay for the parcels of land needed for the battery plant.

Here are some of the other milestones reached on the project to date, according to officials familiar with the project.

Site Servicing:

• 200 + Acres have been cleared and grubbed
• 195,000 m3 of topsoil has been stripped and stockpiled
• 150,000 cubic meters of clay has been cut and filled on-site
• Over 1,000,000 tonnes of aggregate has been imported and installed on-site
• Renovated the DBC Building at 9655 Twin Oaks
• 66 each 38 meter long h-piles have been installed to date

Planning:

• Completion of required studies in support of the Minister’s Zoning Order (MZO), which included: Planning Justification Report, Archaeological Assessment, Species at Risk Assessment, and Transportation Impact Study. The MZO was issued by the Minster of Municipal Affairs and Housing on August 19th.
• Formal Site Plan Approval issued on August 22, 2022.
• Approval of $68,000,000 in tax-based financial incentives under the Economic Revitalization Community Improvement Plan Approval on Aug. 8.

Public Works:

• Completion of Drainage Report for the LaChance Drain Relocation.
• CP Agreement for rail switch removal.
• Hoarding permit issuance for the temporary closure of EC Row Avenue.
• Currently working with NextStar Design Team on Civil Site Servicing Design for adjacent improvements on Twin Oaks Drive and EC Row Avenue.

Building:

• Module Building “Foundation” and “Superstructure” Building Permits issued Dec. 1
• Currently reviewing Cell Building “Superstructure” and “Enclosure” Building Permit Applications.