Work progressing at site of NextStar battery plant in Windsor
Work at the future site of the NextStar Energy Inc. electric vehicle battery plant is humming along with big changes to the landscape already happening, and future energy needs waiting for approvals.
“I'm flabbergasted with how quickly things are progressing,” said Jelena Payne, the city’s commissioner of economic development and innovation.
The entire parcel of land, 220 acres in size, is now being prepared for building the 4.5 million square-foot facility.
Berms are going up around the northern perimeter of the property and fresh pavement has gone down in a cargo area at the Twin Oaks location off Banwell Road and south of EC Row.
Close to 100 workers are already on site, with 500 expected to be on site in the coming months.
“There is great excitement in the short term with all of the construction jobs over the next couple of years,” said Windsor mayoral candidate, Drew Dilkens. “But the real impact will be felt long term where we have 3,000 people from our community working in this new factory, building the batteries that will power the cars of the future.”
Hydro One announced Tuesday it’s set to build a new transformer station and a double circuit transmission line connecting the newly approved line from Chatham in with the Lauzon Station.
“Hydro One is committed to building a clean electricity grid while also driving strong economic development and residential growth in Windsor for years to come,” said Tiziana Baccega Rosa, a senior media relations advisor with Hydro One. “Access to clean sources of energy is becoming increasingly important as we collectively work towards net-zero targets.”
A Class environmental assessment for the project is now underway and if approved, construction on the line will begin next March with an in-service date of January 2024.
“We are kicking off the Class Environmental process that enables us to build the infrastructure needed to energize NextStar Energy Inc.’s electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant,” Baccega Rosa said, noting the hydro provider is looking at ways to minimize the effects of the project on the environment and community.
“We encourage Indigenous communities, residents, businesses, government agencies, and interest groups to get involved in the process by submitting feedback to Community.Relations@HydroOne.com by Nov. 14, 2022,” she said.
Work to expropriate the last remaining property on Banwell Road is now complete. According to Dilkens, the city came to terms with the landowner in a non-contested expropriation.
Jelena Payne says the next step is for the City of Windsor to process a series of building permits so foundations and concrete can be poured on site sometime this fall.
“We've negotiated the lease, we're working on the Community Improvement Plans. We are here to support all of the partners through this journey and to ensure that this investment comes to fruition and it's a success for our community,” Payne said, adding all levels of government and the involved companies are working together with one target in mind: getting the project done by 2025.
“Everybody is doing their part,” said Payne. “Everybody's delivering and that that's why we have such great momentum.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.