Volkswagen received secret subsidies approved by the Department of Industry for a battery plant in Ontario..Conservative Brad Vis (Mission-Matsqui, BC) asked managers to give the figure to the Commons Industry committee.. Volkswagen Logo .“The number of $15 billion was being thrown around,” Vis told the committee..“I know the government of Germany offered Volkswagen over $10 billion to have a lithium battery processing plant in that country. We’re talking a lot of money here.”.Volkswagen announced March 13 that it would build a battery factory in St. Thomas, ON, with production to start in 2027..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, terms of federal concessions were not disclosed..“We heard with great fanfare over the last number of days the government of Canada made an investment with Volkswagen to develop a new battery plant,” said Vis..“Can you tell us how much money the government gave Volkswagen?”.“How much?” asked Vis..“That information is not yet public,” replied Sheryl Groeneweg, director general of industrial strategy at the industry department..“There is nothing I can communicate to you at this point.”.“Are you aware of the number, but unable to give it to me?” asked Vis..“Yes,” replied Groeneweg..Vis immediately asked that cabinet disclose the information to the industry committee..“I’m not asking for something theoretical,” said Vis..“The witness told this committee she is in possession of the information that we are seeking, so it’s a very specific request. I’m just looking for a number. The number is, how much money did the government of Canada give Volkswagen to build the battery plant?”.The committee asked for the amount in writing..“I understand the department will provide a written response to the committee with the information,” said Liberal MP Joël Lightbound (Louis-Hébert, QC), chair of the committee..Cabinet repeatedly cited the Volkswagen announcement as proof “we are building big things here in Canada,” said Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland in her budget address on Tuesday.. Chrystia Freeland Budget 2023 .All Canadians are “celebrating the fact Volkswagen chose St. Thomas,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told reporters on March 22..“What it says to me, to the whole world, is Canada can win and as Canadians, we can win big at a time where obviously there is a lot of competition for these investments,” Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters on March 21..“When are we going to found out how much we had to give?” a reporter asked..“We are going to do that in due course,” replied Champagne..On March 22, Champagne called the Volkswagen plant “an investment that will pay dividends for generations to come.” He did not elaborate..“Bringing Volkswagen to Canada is a home run for the country,” Champagne told the Commons on Monday..“It is the first manufacturer we've brought to our country in 35 years and it is the first time we bring a European manufacturer to Canada.”.The Volkswagen plant is not the first European automotive manufacturing factory in Canada. Volvo operated an assembly plant in Halifax from 1963 to 1998.
