Ottawa, Canada | November 27, 2025:
A major Canadian EV battery contract worth $15 billion has triggered political uproar after Foreign Minister Melanie Joly admitted during a parliamentary committee hearing that neither she nor her legal team had thoroughly reviewed the agreement before signing in 2023. The deal, involving automaker Stellantis and South Korea’s LG Energy Solution, is for a new battery plant in Windsor, Ontario, expected to generate 2,500 jobs and strengthen North America’s electric vehicle supply chain under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.
Joly acknowledged that approvals were based on inter-agency summaries rather than a full examination of the contract, citing time pressures. Stellantis executives were absent from the hearing, intensifying allegations of opacity. Opposition MPs, particularly Conservatives, decried the oversight as “gross incompetence,” demanding unredacted contract copies and warning that taxpayer funds—$13 billion in loans and grants—may have favored foreign partners.
The project, already delayed by labor disputes and supply chain issues, is now slated for a 2026 opening. Critics question whether proper environmental assessments and wage protections were observed. Former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended the initiative as vital for competing with U.S. and Chinese battery dominance, but public polls indicate declining support for the Liberal government ahead of 2026 elections.
The scandal underscores a growing tension in Canada’s green transition: the push for rapid renewable energy adoption clashes with demands for fiscal accountability and transparent governance, potentially inspiring further scrutiny of other large-scale energy projects.
