Today, we can announce that Northvolt will build a new gigafactory for the manufacturing of electric vehicle batteries in Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville.

Today, we can announce that Northvolt will build a new giant electric vehicle battery manufacturing facility here in the province of Quebec. This facility will be able to produce batteries for a million electric vehicles a year, and at full production capacity, the plant will contribute up to $1.6 billion to our economy. This is a historic and transformative announcement. Northvolt’s investment will bring end-to-end battery manufacturing to Canada, making our country one of only a few locations to have this capacity outside of Asia. This is part of our vision for a stronger economy for generations to come.

The Northvolt facility will be an essential element of our electric vehicle supply chain. It is one of the largest private investments in Quebec’s history and is absolutely transformative. It will create up to 3,000 well-paying jobs at the factory and tens of thousands of indirect jobs across Quebec and across Canada. This is excellent news for Quebec’s workers and its economy.

You know, whether it’s with Northvolt, Volkswagen, Stellantis, or others, my pitch for attracting foreign investments is always the same: it’s resources, it’s stability, and it’s workers. For example, I was in Southeast Asia recently to strengthen our economic ties in the region, in a room full of important CEOs in Singapore, and I told them: it’s not complicated.

First, in Canada, we have the natural resources needed to power our net-zero future. Electric vehicle and battery companies know this very well.

We have lithium in Quebec; I am thinking of Sayona, among others, in Abitibi, which I visited earlier this year. We also have rare earth elements in the north, nickel in Ontario and in Newfoundland and Labrador. Here in Quebec, there is hydroelectricity, which is world-renowned when it comes to clean energy, and we have the expertise to charge vehicles with this clean electricity. I’m sure it comes as no surprise to anyone, knowing François-Philippe’s energy, but his own riding in Shawinigan is home to the company FLO, which manufactures charging stations for all of North America. He brought me there for a visit, but really, François-Philippe, you attract investments everywhere, I am not surprised that you’re doing it at home, too.

(Laughter)

Second, companies know that investing here in Canada is reliable because we are a stable democracy with solutions to tomorrow’s challenges, including in terms of the environment, inclusion, strong institutions, and optimistic communities. Moreover, we have free-trade agreements with nearly two thirds of the global GDP, and we are the only G7 country that has a free-trade agreement with every other G7 country. And this is important to large companies like Northvolt, like Volkswagen, like Stellantis, like Rio Tinto, like the major investments that are coming to Quebec: to know that if they come here, they can continue to be a reliable supplier to the entire world.

And third—and clearly the most important point to me—in Canada, in Quebec, we have the best workers in the world. They are the best educated in the OECD. We have social programs to ensure that the middle class remains strong and healthy, whether we are talking about child care, student assistance, dental care: we are there for people. And clearly, with immigration, we attract talent from around the world. All around the world, they are facing labour shortages, as we are, but people look at our ability to welcome people from around the world. They know that we will be able to respond to the demand and requirements of tomorrow. That is why companies continue to choose Quebec and Canada.

When we enter into historic agreements with companies like Northvolt to invest here, that is the main thing that makes the difference: the quality, the reliability, and the ambition of our workers.

You see, the promise of Canada is that every generation should reach even higher than the one that came before. That promise is under threat everywhere around the world, but we’re securing that promise of Canada by securing great jobs in the clean economy of tomorrow. What happened here today, what we’re announcing today, didn’t happen by accident and it won’t continue without effort. It’s deliberate work in partnership with the Government of Quebec that demonstrates that building a strong economy for the future and protecting the environment go together.