Ford ‘disappointed’ in feds’ handling of rocky Stellantis deal for EV battery plant

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he doesn’t know what the federal government means as it calls for the province to pay its “fair share” in a deal with automaker Stellantis that appears to be in jeopardy.

Ford says the province and federal government are working hard to ensure Stellantis doesn’t pull out of jointly building an electric vehicle battery plant with LG Energy Solution in Windsor, Ont., but he is “disappointed” with how Ottawa has handled the issue.

Stellantis says the federal government has confirmed in writing five times that it would match production incentives under the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act but has not delivered on those commitments so construction at the site has stopped.

Federal ministers are now saying they want Ontario to pay its “fair share” in order to make the deal happen.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says today that Canada is pouring $120 billion over more than 10 years into a green industrial strategy, and to ensure fairness, provinces that benefit from those investments need to “pay their share.”

Ford says the province signed its own deal with Stellantis for a $500-million capital contribution — the same amount committed to Volkswagen for an electric vehicle battery facility in St. Thomas, Ont. — and Ontario hasn’t been involved in the federal government’s production incentive discussions.