We are helping power the next generation of energy that will future‑proof Canadian industry at scale’
Human resources professionals will need to keep a close eye on the NextStar Energy project as it becomes an early test of large‑scale talent planning, labour relations and workforce transition in Canada’s emerging EV supply chain.
On Thursday, the Ontario government officially opened NextStar Energy’s battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, calling it Canada’s first commercial‑scale advanced battery plant and projecting up to 2,500 direct jobs for the region.
The 4.23‑million‑square‑foot facility – which began production in November 2025 – has already produced more than one million battery cells and hired over 1,300 workers, according to the province. The Ontario government says a further 1,200 jobs are expected once the plant reaches full operational capacity.
“The opening of the NextStar Energy battery facility is a milestone for southwestern Ontario, creating thousands of local jobs and benefiting workers across our province’s automotive and advanced manufacturing supply chains,” says Premier Doug Ford, adding that NextStar’s investment reflects the government’s efforts “to cut taxes and red tape, attract historic levels of investment and build the most competitive, resilient, self‑reliant economy in the G7.”
Centrepiece in Ontario’s drive for ‘prosperity’
The Windsor plant is part of a $5‑billion investment that the Ontario government says strengthens the province’s position as a global manufacturer of technologies needed to power electric vehicles (EVs), AI data centres and other high‑energy infrastructure. It is also a centrepiece in Ontario’s “Driving Prosperity — The Future of Ontario’s Automotive Sector” plan and aligns with the province’s Critical Minerals Strategy, according to the government.
Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Vic Fedeli says the project anchors Ontario in the fast‑growing North American battery supply chain. “By leveraging LG Energy Solution’s technological expertise alongside Windsor’s manufacturing might, NextStar Energy has solidified its position as a cornerstone in North America’s battery ecosystem,” Fedeli says. “We congratulate NextStar Energy on achieving these initial milestones and look forward to seeing their batteries unlock new economic opportunities for Ontario’s leading industries.”
The Ontario government, in partnership with the federal government, first announced support for the project in March 2022 as part of a broader effort to transform the automotive supply chain and secure advanced manufacturing jobs. Since 2018, Ontario has attracted $213 billion in investment from domestic and foreign companies, including more than $46 billion tied to vehicle manufacturing and the EV battery supply chain, the province says.
Currently, Ottawa and Ontario are also moving in tandem to secure Canada’s critical minerals future, using this week’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) convention in Toronto to spotlight new policy moves.
NextStar Energy was originally a joint venture between Stellantis and LG Energy Solution. LG Energy Solution has since moved to acquire Stellantis’ equity stake and become full owner of the facility, while maintaining the employment target of 2,500 jobs in Windsor and the surrounding region, according to the Ontario government.
“Today’s grand opening reflects the economic momentum we are building here in Windsor,” says NextStar CEO Danies Lee. “With strong investment from the federal and provincial governments and the commitments from our founding joint venture partners, we are proud to be creating long‑term economic value for Canada. At the same time, we are helping power the next generation of energy that will future‑proof Canadian industry at scale. This is a unique, made‑in‑Canada success story and one we can all be proud of.”
Project’s impact
Local officials also highlighted the impact on regional employment and growth. Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens says the $5‑billion investment “has placed us at the forefront of electrification,” calling NextStar Energy “a major component of our unprecedented growth and evolution” in Windsor‑Essex.
Meanwhile, labour and construction leaders have been among the most outspoken critics of how work at the NextStar Energy site has been allocated, particularly around the use of temporary foreign workers.
Jason Roe, business manager for Ironworkers Local 700 and head of the Essex and Kent Building Trades Council, said foreign workers from South Korea have been seen driving forklifts and doing standard electrical installation at the Windsor plant, despite assurances that only highly specialised tasks would go to international staff.
“It’s been very frustrating knowing that these are taxpayer dollars funding the project and it’s not going to Canadian workers and Canadian contractors,” he previously told CBC, adding that he continues to receive reports of foreign workers performing non‑specialised tasks.
Meanwhile, Jack Mesley, president of the Ontario Erectors Association, reported that union members observed foreign workers doing general labour and certified trade work, including cutting and welding pipe and working on electrical vaults. He questioned the training value of some of these assignments, saying: “There’s no knowledge transfer in running the forklift unless it was our Canadians telling the Koreans how to do it.”
National union leaders have framed the controversy as a test of whether publicly funded industrial projects will primarily benefit domestic workers. Canada’s Building Trades Unions (CBTU) condemned the plan to bring in up to 900 South Korean workers as part of a 1,600‑person foreign technician contingent, arguing that the move undermines Canadian trades despite their track record on complex industrial builds.
CBTU called the plan “a slap in the face to our workers and contractors, including those in Windsor, who are the most highly‑skilled tradespeople in the world,” and warned that Canada is “losing out on millions of valuable hours for its workers.”
