Professor of Mechanical & Automotive Engineering, member and Past-Chair of the Complaints Committee of Professional Engineers Ontario
The recent $15B announcement of EV manufacturing capacity by Honda Canada at their Alliston complex and the accompanying battery making facilities is another big step along the way to electrifying the North American vehicle manufacturing sector. Am I happy about the injection of public monies that brought this project to fruition….frankly, no. The fact is that there is no such thing as public money. That is my, and my fellow Canadians’ money. https://lnkd.in/gxzRUuwi But let’s be realistic, there are virtually no large industrial investments made anywhere these days without government involvement. Canadians are entitled to nothing other than the chance to compete and so compete we must. We have to pay to play - or get off the merry-go-round. The alternative is to lose our industrial-base and the jobs it provides - and political parties of every stripe need to face that fact. These big EV investments must be viewed through a 25-50 year lens - not focussing on slowing EV sales in the present quarter or year. Without these new facilities, our auto sector would be on a downward trajectory and so would the prosperity it has brought over the last 120+ years since Henry Ford founded Ford of Canada to access the British Commonwealth market. Heck - in this latest effort, we have even attracted a major new automaker - VW - which has never had significant operations in Canada, as well as securing the five companies who already build vehicles here - and I say bravo! Prosperity comes from good jobs - not trade barriers - and these facilities will provide good jobs for decades - long after the government investments are forgotten.
Steve Lapp
7mo
Hi Peter: Thanks for posting this. I think it's unfortunate that so many people do not appreciate the global corporate dynamics that make these kind of deals necessary. With the low carbon intensity (GHG) kWh of the Ontario electricity grid, the new EV plants being built in Ontario will have some of the lowest embedded manufacturing GHG in the world for their final products. That is an advantage others will not have and a reason we must keep pushing for further cost effective low carbon generation. Good to hear your voice. Steve
Bill Gibson
7mo
Well said Peter. If I may say, you have always been Canada’s most articulate advocate for the automotive sector. Your engineering and education perspective bring balance and clarity to a very complex imperative for Canada’s well being.
Detlef Engler
7mo
Excellent analysis, Peter! Thank you!🙏
Chris Hill
7mo
Honda is taking the long-term view, 25 to 40 years.
Totally agree Peter Frise !
Excellent commentary, Peter! Like you, there's nothing I'd like more than a world where government didn't need to put money on the hood to secure sound business investments, but that's just the reality we live in now. One might argue that Canada didn't need to be an early mover in the transition to EVs, but there's a real risk that future investments would flow to Mexico and the U.S. instead. These are huge capital projects and should set Canada's auto sector up nicely for many, many years to come.