Fedeli said the weeklong visit with stops in Japan and South Korea includes meetings with several “very active prospects” in the EV value chain.In South Korea, the first stop on the trip, Fedeli said he will meet with LG Energy Solution, which committed to building a $5 billion battery cell plant in Windsor, Ont. this March, as well as a series of companies that could supply the new plant.
The trip comes amid an auto investment hot streak for Canada. Automakers and battery supply chain firms have committed about $15 billion to EV-related manufacturing projects since the start of the year. The bulk of that spending will land in Ontario, while several battery material processing projects are planned for Quebec.
Last week, the federal government signed memoranda of understanding with Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen, agreeing to collaborate with the German automakers on EV battery supplies. Fedeli said Ontario has also been meeting with the two companies, and he is planning to visit Germany on another trade mission this October.
Champagne is also planning to visit South Korea before the end of the 2022, though details about his trip have not been shared.