Advertisement

Quebec auditor general investigating subsidies to embattled electric battery industry

Click to play video: 'Quebec’s Auditor General to investigate how the Legault government funded the e-vehicle battery industry'
Quebec’s Auditor General to investigate how the Legault government funded the e-vehicle battery industry
WATCH: The office of Quebec's Auditor General has launched an investigation into the millions of dollars the provincial government has spent on subsidies for the electric car battery industry. Hundreds of millions in taxpayer money has been lost as some of the companies the government invested in hit major financial troubles. As Dan Spector tells us, critics of the Legault government's moves are saying the investigation is long overdue. – Jul 29, 2025

The office of Quebec’s auditor general says it is investigating the millions of dollars in subsidies given by the province to the electric battery industry.

Major players in the sector have come under severe financial difficulties, such as vehicle maker Lion Electric and battery manufacturer Northvolt.

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

A spokesperson for the auditor general’s office wouldn’t give details on the status of the investigation, only saying a report is expected in the spring.

The Quebec government gave $270 million to Northvolt’s Swedish parent company before it filed for bankruptcy in Europe.

Quebec’s pension fund manager — Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec — invested $200 million in the company.

Meanwhile, Lion electric was recently purchased for a fraction of its former value after it went into bankruptcy protection, with the Quebec government losing its $140-million investment.

Story continues below advertisement

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2025.

Sponsored content

AdChoices