PowerCo Canada is plotting the nation’s largest-ever electric vehicle battery manufacturing plant.
Situated in the St. Thomas region of Ontario, the $7 billion gigafactory is forecast to break ground this year, with completion anticipated in 2027.
Joe Preston, Mayor of St. Thomas, sees the cleantech project as both an “economic boost” and a “fundamental transformation for our community.”
“We’re proud to be the home for this exciting new chapter in Canada’s burgeoning EV battery manufacturing sector,” he stated.
The gigafactory, first announced in 2023, is expected to produce up to 90 gigawatt hours, enough to fuel up to one million EVs each year.
PowerCo, founded in 2022 as a subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group, is growing rapidly.
For example, the company has doubled its workforce over the past year to more than 200 employees, with intentions to recruit significantly more as EV facilities enter construction and production phases.
To capture the necessary quality and quantity of talent, PowerCo has launched its first-ever job recruitment campaign as the company seeks to “fill hundreds of well-paying jobs” during the building of the St. Thomas gigafactory, which is on top of “thousands of jobs when the plant is fully operational.”
The campaign marks a “pivotal step forward as we move closer to breaking ground on what will be Canada’s largest EV facility once completed,” according to Norman Wickboldt, who serves PowerCo Canada as chief officer of human resources.
PowerCo is actively recruiting for “a wide variety of roles,” including chemists, Information Technology professionals, engineers, and sustainability experts.
“Electrified transportation is the future, and these jobs offer long-term opportunities for Canadians to be a part of an exciting and innovative clean energy industry,” Wickboldt stated.
Over the next few months, PowerCo intends to “significantly expand its recruitment efforts through a multi-channel, province-wide advertising blitz,” according to a statement from the firm, including physical billboards in St. Thomas and London.
“This recruitment campaign opens the door to new, high-quality jobs for residents and opportunities to build lasting careers right here in our community,” Mayor Preston commented.