'This is the place to build the future': St. Thomas, Ont. Volkswagen plant to create 3,000 jobs
CTV
A major announcement took place Friday morning in St. Thomas that detailed plans for a future Volkswagen electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford in attendance.
A major announcement took place Friday morning in St. Thomas that detailed plans for a future Volkswagen electric vehicle (EV) battery plant, with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier Doug Ford in attendance.
Friday’s announcement kicked off just after 10:30 a.m. in St. Thomas, and joining Trudeau and Ford was Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, Vic Fedeli, St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston and local representatives.
Announced on March 13, 2023, the new St. Thomas facility, located south of London, Ont., will be the German automaker’s first overseas electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant.
Years in the making, the two-million square foot plant — equivalent to the size of 378 American football fields — is expected to cost $7 billion to build, will create up to 3,000 skilled jobs, and an additional 30,000 indirect jobs. In addition, once operational, the plant will produce batteries for up to one million electric vehicles per year.
In his speech, Trudeau said that building a strong Canada means building a strong future for the middle class and for our children.
“The reason we are here is because of them,” Trudeau said while pointing to a group of St. Thomas citizens who’d attended the event. “This is the place to build the future — together.”
