General Motors has announced that it plans to invest in its powertrain plant in St. Catharines, Ontario, in order to produce more than 400,000 new Ultium electric drive system units per year. The investment will also create around 500 jobs in the assembly of electric drive systems.
While the exact amount of GM’s investment was not disclosed, the company did clarify that the investment is still subject to government subsidies. Negotiations with the Canadian government and the provincial government of Ontario are expected to conclude later this year.
The drive units built at St. Catharines will be used in vehicles built on GM’s flexible EV architecture. 2023 will be a breakout year for Ultium vehicles with the electric Cadillac LYRIQ the affordable Chevrolet Equinox EV, Chevrolet Blazer EV, Chevrolet Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, and GMC HUMMER SUV EV all entering the North American market.
The new St. Catharines investment builds upon other recent GM Canada investments including a C$28 million Renewable Energy Cogeneration project at St. Catharines; Canada’s first large-scale EV plant in Ingersoll Ontario, now making the BrightDrop Zevo 600; a new Ultium CAM Cathode Active Materials facility now under construction in Bécancour, Quebec; expansion of GM’s Canadian Technology Centre in Oshawa and Markham, Ontario, including a new 55-acre CTC McLaughlin Advanced Technology Track and the recent reopening and return to three shifts of pickup production at Oshawa Assembly.
GM Canada is engaged with the Ontario and federal governments and expects to complete discussions later this year.
The investment in St. Catharines is just one of several that GM has made in recent years. The company has also announced plans to invest in its plants in Michigan, Tennessee, and other locations. This underscores the company’s commitment to building a sustainable future and providing jobs in the communities where it operates.
