麻豆影视

Autos

    • Canadian electric vehicle builders gearing up for growth on both sides of border

    Share
    TORONTO -

    Damon Motors Inc. likes to refer to its electric motorbikes as groundbreaking, but the company's manufacturing plans are also bucking a trend among Canadian companies.

    It's one of numerous electric-vehicle companies that have emerged in Canada as the push toward emission-free driving accelerates, but unlike most others, it plans to export the majority of the vehicles it will start producing in Surrey, B.C., next year to markets in the U.S. and Europe.

    Company founder and chief executive Jay Giraud said the lack of tariffs on exports to the two regions was a key consideration for building in Canada, as was the ability to build near their research and development team.

    "As a young company, it's really important that our R&D and manufacturing are co-located."

    Other Canadian electric vehicle companies have also built up manufacturing plants close to home, but increasingly are looking to expand production in the United States as protectionist policies and other pressures help increase the trend toward building where one sells.

    "There really is a relationship between where you build and where you sell and that's particularly the case for EVs," said Joanna Kyriazis, senior policy adviser at Clean Energy Canada

    "The batteries for EVs are very big. They're heavy and expensive and logistically challenging to transport over long distances. So as the global auto industry transitions to EVs we are seeing more regionalization or localization of supply chains."

    To improve domestic production, experts like Kyriazis are pushing for more buyer incentives, both on the personal vehicle side and commercial, as well as other government support programs

    Montreal manufacturer Lion Electric Co. currently produces electric school buses and commercial vehicles at its plant in Saint-Jerome, Que., which last quarter amounted to 40 vehicles, including 28 for Canadian demand and 12 destined for the U.S.

    But going forward, the company has big plans to ramp up production in the U.S. with a plant in Illinois it expects to open next year with a capacity of 20,000 vehicles per year.

    Company spokesman Patrick Gervais said Buy America provisions for transit vehicles were certainly a motivating factor to build the plant in the U.S., but that it also goes with the company's efforts to make manufacturing more energy efficient.

    "We have a policy to build where we sell, because we feel it goes with our mission which is all about GHG emissions."

    The company's Canadian facility also has significant excess capacity since it's able to produce about 2,500 vehicles a year, so further government support would mean more production at home as well.

    "Electrification is a great new opportunity for the Canadian economy, and we need to make sure that we put everything in place to grow this whole ecosystem," said Gervais.

    Winnipeg-based bus manufacturer New Flyer Industries does some production in its home city, but it also has three plants in the U.S. The company didn't specify how many of its zero-emission buses are produced in Canada, but notes it has a backlog of about 1,700 of those buses compared with capacity of about 8,000 annually across its three production lines.

    Aldergrove, B.C.-based Vicinity Motor Corp. has a production facility in the community, but is also building a facility in Washington State that it says will be Buy America compliant.

    Some major parts suppliers have also ended up looking further afield to build their electric vehicle components. Aurora, Ont.-based parts giant Magna International Inc. announced a deal last month to build battery enclosures for the high-profile electric Ford F-150 in the U.S., and said in February it had started to build a new plant in Michigan that will produce battery enclosures for the electric GMC Hummer, but the company says it produces no electric vehicle parts in Canada.

    There is certainly change ahead for Canada's electric-vehicle industry with major spending commitments from the big three U.S. auto companies, but it will still be a few years before any pure electric passenger vehicles roll off any assembly line.

    Canada's passenger EV manufacturing is also facing threats from U.S. President Joe Biden's tax credit proposal that would favour vehicles made in the U.S. and which the Canadian government says would effectively impose a 34 per cent tariff on electric vehicles assembled in Canada.

    In a letter sent Friday to key members of the U.S. Senate, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Trade Minister Mary Ng threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs if the proposed incentives go forward.

    With this being such a pivotal moment in the transformation of manufacturing, Canada needs to do more now to make sure the whole supply chain and economy can benefit, said Matthew Fortier, chief executive of Accelerate, a new industry alliance.

    The alliance, launched in September, was formed to push for a more coherent national strategy, to attract investments across the demands of electric vehicles including minerals, parts, batteries and assembly.

    "This is a generational opportunity to build a strategy where Canada can be competitive," said Fortier.

    He said it's important to move fast because the country has already lost time, especially as competition heats up from other governments to secure crucial battery production that can help anchor other parts of the supply chain.

    "Is Canada behind? Absolutely. We wish we had a strategy last year, five years ago, but we can absolutely be a part of the global race towards competitiveness in the EV space."

    There are signs of progress, including new tax breaks scheduled to come into effect in the new year, billions of dollars earmarked for the electrification of public transit, and the federal government says mandates are coming on the minimum number of electric vehicles dealers have to sell.

    Government funding has also been flowing to secure more production from a wide range of projects, including $590 million for the Ford Motor Co. to shift to electric production in Oakville, $100 million to help Lion Electric build a battery assembly plant and research centre, and $400,000 from the B.C. government to help Damon Motors move toward production of its pioneering motorcycle design.

    Further co-ordination and efforts, however, are needed if Canada is going to seize the full potential of a moment from so much competition, said Fortier.

    "The window is open right now, I don't know when it's going to close, I just know that there are a lot of different counties and jurisdictions trying to get through that window."

    This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2021.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    Canada

    • Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.

    • The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

    • A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

    World

    Politics

    • Murray Sinclair鈥檚 family members say the late justice and senator has been laid to rest according to his wishes.

    • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced voters in Cloverdale鈥擫angley City will pick their next member of Parliament on Dec. 16.

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    Sports

    Autos

    Local Spotlight

    For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

    Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

    A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

    As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

    A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

    A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

    Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

    A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

    • Weather watchers were treated to an exceptionally rare display on Friday evening as rare cloud formations filled Vancouver skies.

    • For some shoppers it was Nov. 1, but for others the first hints of Christmas - saccharine treats, festive-fragranced candles and gaudily wrapped gift sets - were being noticed in stores long before the final Halloween decor had been cleared.

    • Thousands of people are expected to gather in downtown Vancouver on Monday to observe the city鈥檚 100th Remembrance Day ceremony.

    • Toronto is expected to see an economic boost to the tune of nearly $300 million thanks to Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming Eras Tour, which will be making a stop in Canada鈥檚 largest city for a six-show run later this month.

    • One man was transported to hospital early Monday morning after a stabbing in the northwest end of the city, Toronto police say.

    • Calgarians will be observing Remembrance Day at a number of different ceremonies across the city, including at the Hangar Flight Museum.

    • A home in the northeast Calgary community of Saddle Ridge was damaged in a fire on Sunday.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      Conditions were warm early Monday and expected to remain that way for most of the day.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.

    • After months of controversy surrounding a dog park in Ottawa's west end, a solution has been reached to divide the park in half.

    • With fewer interments and rising maintenance fees, the money for Canada's largest military cemetery will run out in three to four years.

    • The employers association at the Port of Montreal locked out nearly 1,200 longshore workers, bringing a halt to traffic at the port.

    • Though most businesses are expected to be open on Remembrance Day, there are some establishments that will be closed to commemorate the holiday.

    • Monday is Remembrance Day, a time to honour armed forces members who have died in the line of duty.

    • WEATHER

      WEATHER

      This is shaping up to be one of the warmest Remembrance Days in the past decade, at least, for temperatures.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      Maritimers will stop Monday to remember those who have served, and continue to serve, in Canada's armed forces for Remembrance Day.

    • A Cape Breton senior recalls her life in German-occupied France, and her mother鈥檚 death, during the Second World War.

    • Thousand of people gathered at the Menin Gate in the Ypres, Belgium for Monday鈥檚 Remembrance Day Ceremony.

    • Remembrance Day is today, and a number of ceremonies are taking place around the province to honour those who gave their lives to serve our country.

    • A pillar in Canada鈥檚 history was honoured in Winnipeg Sunday afternoon, with thousands showing up to pay tribute to the life and legacy of the late Murray Sinclair.

    • Winnipeg police have identified two men involved in a stabbing incident earlier this week.

    • There will be two ceremonies taking place in Regina for Remembrance Day, hosted by the Royal Canadian Legion.

    • Regina author Valerie Crowther is celebrating the release of her book 鈥榃ar Letters: Linking Lives in the Second World War.鈥

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.

    • People across Canada will pause to reflect Monday at Remembrance Day Ceremonies across the country.

    • A man has been charged after a stabbing at an apartment building in Kitchener.

    • Saskatchewan RCMP are searching for a suspect after a man was seriously injured in a farm-related incident in Montreal Lake.

    • It was a somber day at Mosaic Stadium as members of the Saskatchewan Roughriders officially cleaned out their stalls and closed the book on the 2024 season.

    • The Regina Rams claimed the Hardy Cup after a hard fought battle against the Saskatoon Huskies 19-14 on Saturday in the first all Saskatchewan U-Sports western conference final since 2002.

    • WATCH LIVE

      WATCH LIVE

      The events will start at 10:15 a.m. with a parade that forms up in front of the Delta London Armories, marches east on Dundas Street and turns north onto Waterloo Street to Dufferin Avenue, the west to the Cenotaph.

    • Emergency crews responded to the scene on Road 68/Highway 2 east of Thamesford around 7 p.m.

    • On Friday, the Sarnia Police Service (SPS) received a report of an alleged abduction in the area of Kathleen Avenue and Walnut Avenue.

    • Barrie residents will gather on Monday to honour Canada鈥檚 veterans and pay tribute to those who served and sacrificed for the country.

    • A driver is facing multiple charges after a multi-vehicle collision on Highway 400 early Sunday morning.

    • A group of former NHL players faced off against York Regional Police officers in Newmarket Sunday afternoon to raise funds for Special Olympics programs across the province.

    • 11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      11 AM:WATCH LIVE

      Representatives of the Windsor Veterans Memorial Services Committee, military representatives, wreath bearers, government officials, and members of the public will attend the Cenotaph at City Hall Square for the outdoor service.

    • One person has been arrested after Chatham-Kent Police Service (CKPS) received multiple complaints about an alleged drunk driver.

    • More details have been released about a police investigation at the Ambassador Bridge that connects Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, MI.

    • Environment Canada says heavy rain and winds could cause power outages on Vancouver Island as an "intense" storm system is set to hit the B.C. coast Sunday.

    • Six deer were struck by vehicles in six different locations in a six-hour period on B.C. highways on Saturday, according to the transportation ministry.

    • The union for locked-out port workers in British Columbia says the BC Maritime Employers Association cut off talks in less than an hour Saturday, refusing to budge on a final offer that the union has so far rejected.

    • The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.

    • Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.

    • More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.

    • The Southern Alberta Recreation Association is officially announcing the Town of Taber as next year鈥檚 host for the Southern Alberta Summer Games.

    • The Lethbridge Hurricanes broke open a close game with three goals in the first two minutes of the third period as they defeated the Warriors 7-3 in a game played Friday night in Moose Jaw.

    • There might not a lot snow just yet, but many southern Albertans are still itching to get outdoors.

    • It was just days before the COVID-19 pandemic shut the world down when the Shaft Bottom Boys of Sudbury broke a world record for 'Deepest Concert Underground.' Now, more than four years later, a Timmins band is looking to take the title.

    • Police have arrested a 15-year-old in connection with a break-in and $50,000 in damage done to the Centennial Arena in Elliot Lake in September.

    • Mayors of the five largest cities in northern Ontario met in North Bay the last two days to discuss a range of critical issues impacting their cities and the region.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆影视. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆影视