North will benefit from Kingston cathode plant, Fedeli says
News about a $1.5 billion electric battery component facility to be built in Kingston is also good news for northern Ontario, says the province's Minister of Economic Development and Trade.
Vic Fedeli said the north will reap benefits from the Kingston plant, a partnership between the provincial and federal government and Belgium-based Umicore N.V.
The facility will be home to a plant producing cathodes and precursor materials, the province said, noting that cathodes make up about half of the value of an electric vehicle battery.
They contain minerals such as nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium – minerals that are mined in the north.
"Every bit of the cathode and precursor plant that they have there needs minerals and that's what we have here in the north," Fedeli told CTV's Brendan Connor.
"We want a full supply chain. From critical minerals, this missing piece -- the precursor and the cathode -- then the battery plant, which we won, then the five manufacturers, which are here and shored up. All of the parts, all of the tools dyes and molds, all of the connected and autonomous vehicle tech components, that piece of cathode and precursor was missing and they need our minerals."
Fedeli said demand for nickel could eventually change the view of the Ring of Fire as a source of nickel, rather than chromite.
"I think they're literally going to push the chromite aside and go deeper for the nickel," he said.
"There's so much demand. Nickel is being found north of Timmins, Canada Nickel south of Timmins as well. Lots of development. We need lithium, which is all in northwestern Ontario, so we're going to push really hard for lithium mine to go into production and to have processing of the lithium there."
Longer term, Fedeli said such plants could be built in the north, closer to where the metals are located.
"The batteries themselves are going to be built in Windsor because they're literally adjacent to the assembly plant," he said.
"I think there's lots of room for the precursor to be processed here in northern Ontario and shipped worldwide, for that matter. I think we have enough to do it. And that's our ultimate goal. "
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton to remain in medically induced coma until later this week: police
Serial killer Robert Pickton will remain in a medically induced coma for at least the next few days following an attack in a Quebec prison Sunday, according to police spokesperson Hugues Beaulieu.
Charlie Colin, founding member of the pop-rock band Train, dies at 58
Charlie Colin, bassist and founding member of the American pop-rock band Train, best known for their early-aughts hits like 'Drops of Jupiter' and 'Meet Virginia,' has died. He was 58.
'Five feet nothing': Pickton's safety likely behind Quebec transfer, says ex-prison judge
When serial killer Robert Pickton was transferred from British Columbia's Kent Institution to a maximum security prison in Quebec about six years ago, correctional authorities gave no public explanation or confirmation at the time, citing privacy.
'I feel betrayed': Ottawa-area customers out thousands of dollars warn of bad faith contractor
A group of people from eastern Ontario and western Quebec is issuing a warning about Dennis Walker and his company Vue Windows.
Fancy pigeon outfitted in custom diaper has free rein in B.C. family home
When Chrissy Chin volunteered to take in a fancy pigeon abandoned on a park bench, she never imagined she would one day be ordering custom-made diapers for the bird – who lives in her house and has become a member of the family.
'We'll need all hands on deck': Details emerge after deadly boat crash near Kingston
Police say they have wrapped up their on-scene investigation into a deadly boat crash in eastern Ontario as details of the incident begin to emerge.
WestJet planning new fare category for travellers willing to forgo carry-on bag
WestJet Airlines plans to launch a new cheaper fare category that would be available to travellers willing to fly without a carry-on bag.
5 dead and at least 35 hurt in Iowa tornado: officials
Five people died and at least 35 were hurt as powerful tornadoes ripped through Iowa Tuesday, with one carving a path of destruction through the town of Greenfield, officials said.
Woman found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017 matches identity of missing person in Switzerland
Genetic genealogy has helped Toronto police identify a woman who was found dead in Lake Ontario in 2017.