Trudeau, Eby Announce Over $1 Billion Subsidy to BC Lithium Battery Manufacturer

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds battery cells while talking with B.C Premier David Eby (back R) and Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne during a tour of lithium battery manufacturer E-One Moli Energy (Canada) in Maple Ridge, B.C., on Nov. 14, 2023. The Canadian Press/Darryl Dyck

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and B.C. Premier David Eby have announced a subsidy exceeding $1 billion for a British Columbia energy company specializing in lithium-ion battery production.

In a Nov. 14 statement, the B.C. government detailed a $1.05 billion investment, with $970 million from the federal government and an additional $80 million from the province for E-One Moli Energy Corp. Based in Maple Ridge, roughly 50 kilometres east of Vancouver, the company specializes in rechargeable lithium-ion cells and fast-charging solutions for electric vehicles.

The funds are earmarked for creating a new facility for the company, anticipated to be the first in Western Canada for developing high-performance lithium-ion battery cells. As part of the electrification plan, E-One Moli will be switching some of its plants from natural gas to electricity, the statement said.

This follows the federal and Ontario governments jointly investing nearly $1 billion in an electric vehicle battery component plant in eastern Ontario, announced last month.

During a press conference on Nov. 14 at the company’s facility, Mr. Trudeau highlighted the significance of the latest investment in B.C. in advancing the government’s “climate policy.” He also dismissed the opposition’s call for a balance between the economy and the environment.

“When Conservative politicians continue to say that we have to pick between the economy and the environment, they just don’t get it. They are stuck in the past,” the prime minister said.

“This is the future we are building together, every single day. Climate policy is economic policy.”

Mr. Eby echoed Mr. Trudeau’s comment, stating, “We are charting a course in Canada and internationally that demonstrates the strength of a commitment to a low-carbon, zero-carbon future.”

The federal Conservatives have been urging the Liberal government to reconsider some of its climate policies, advocating for measures such as exempting specific fuels used by farmers from the carbon tax.

A Conservative private member’s bill, C-234, which seeks to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, underwent discussion during third reading in the Senate on Nov. 9. Following approval of the third reading, the bill will advance to receive royal assent and be formalized into law.

However, the bill was delayed when a Trudeau-appointed senator, Lucie Moncion, introduced a motion aimed at removing provisions in the bill that would allow Parliament to extend the exemption on the use of propane and natural gas for agricultural purposes eight years after the bill comes into force.

During the press conference, Mr. Trudeau was joined by Mr. Eby, alongside several cabinet members, including Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Natural Resources Jonathan Wilkinson, and Minister of Citizens’ Services Terry Beech. Also present was B.C.’s Minister of Jobs Brenda Bailey and Maple Ridge Mayor Dan Ruimy.

Matthew Horwood and Noé Chartier contributed to this report.