Very little activity is seen at the EV battery plant site in east Windsor, after Stellantis confirmed construction had stopped, May 15, 2023. Photo by Mark Brown/WindsorNewsToday.ca.Very little activity is seen at the EV battery plant site in east Windsor, after Stellantis confirmed construction had stopped, May 15, 2023. Photo by Mark Brown/WindsorNewsToday.ca.
Windsor

Another stakeholder demands an end to stalemate over NextStar plant, Unifor

The latest call for Stellantis and the federal government to announce an agreement on Windsor's EV battery plant or not comes from Unifor's National President.

Lana Payne's statement said, "A quick resolve will put to rest rising concerns among Unifor members at Stellantis facilities in Canada."

Unifor's request comes after Windsor City Council passed a motion calling for much the same; an end to the stalemate.

Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens gathers regional stakeholders to show support for NextStar Energy battery facility, May 29, 2023. (Photo by Maureen Revait) Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens gathers regional stakeholders to show support for NextStar Energy battery facility, May 29, 2023. (Photo by Maureen Revait)

Mayor Drew Dilkens, surrounded by council members, economic development officials, union representatives, and county politicians, said Windsor has held up its end of the deal. It's time for the federal government to step up.

"We know who's responsible here, and that is the federal government. They're the only ones who have the capacity to follow through on the commitment that they made," Dilkens told reporters.

Dilkens has expressed fears failure to reach a deal for the NextStar battery plant will convince Stellantis to relocate the module plant to the U.S.

Ontario announced it would increase provincial incentives, although Premier Doug Ford did not say by how much when asked about it on May 19.

Meanwhile, the Toronto Star quoted sources close to negotiations who said Stellantis made a counter offer scaling back its demands for more public money. An offer last week from the federal government fell short of the company's expectations.

The company went public two weeks ago when it accused the federal government of not living up to its promise to match support in the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

Since then, information on the talks has been scarce, with the federal government repeatedly saying it was committed to the project.

Related story: “An embarrassment for Canada,” says Unifor Local 444 head on Stellantis impasse

The federal government did match those supports for Volkswagen's gigafactory in St. Thomas. That company will get $13.2-billion in public subsidies compared to the $5-billion offered to Stellantis.

François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry with Volkswagen officials. Photo from @FP_Champagne on Twitter. François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science and industry with Volkswagen officials. Photo from @FP_Champagne on Twitter.

Unifor said that given the generosity of incentives under the American Inflation Reduction Act, it isn't surprising Stellantis and the federal government returned to the bargaining table.

"Ensuring a fair and competitive level of public support to this facility is paramount," said Unifor, stressing the importance of the Windsor plant. "NextStar will serve as a lynchpin for battery supply to Stellantis' vehicle assembly plants in Brampton and Windsor, supporting the transition of thousands of Unifor members' jobs in coming years."

The plant, touted at the time as Canada's first gigafactory, was announced in March 2022 with much fanfare. It's a partnership with LG Energy.

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