Late last year, Granby-based Volta Energy Solutions Canada received $194 million to support the construction of a battery copper foil production facility in Quebec.
Copper, a key raw material for battery copper foil, was recently designated as a strategic or critical material in multiple major countries, including Canada.
The Canadian production facility is expected to begin operations after completion in the second half of 2026, with capacity starting at 25,000 tonnes per year. Mass production levels of more than 60,000 tonnes per year are anticipated by the end of 2027.
As “the world moves towards electrification,” the federal government of Canada wants to position itself as a global leader in electric vehicle manufacturing capacity and critical mineral battery supply chains.
Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly says Canada is investing up to $70M through the Strategic Response Fund to support Volta Energy Solutions.
“Canada has what it needs to lead in the global electric vehicle revolution,” believes Joly.
In defence of her position, the federal minister points to “our resources and our skilled workforce, as well as the momentum created by new international partnerships like the memorandum of understanding we signed with the Republic of Korea earlier this year to advance domestic EV manufacturing opportunities.”
“We are building a competitive, resilient battery supply chain that attracts major investments,” Joly says. “Volta’s new battery foil plant will strengthen Quebec’s central role in our auto strategy and ensure that more of the EV value chain is anchored here at home, creating hundreds of well-paying jobs for the people of Granby and driving long-term growth for Canadian industry.”
The $700M project from Volta is expected to be “transformative for Canada’s domestic EV supply chain” and is forecast to create nearly 300 new jobs.
“Through this project, we are committed to contributing to local economic revitalization and the stabilization of the North American battery supply chain,” says Kwak Geun-man, CEO of Solus Advanced Materials, which owns Volta.
“The completeness of our global battery foil supply system has reached a new level,” continues Geun-man.
“We will continue to build an even more robust supply foundation to meet the growing demand from North America’s EV and ESS industries,” the CEO stated.
Canada’s auto sector supports 120,000 direct employees and contributes $17 billion annually to Canada’s GDP.
In 2025, Canada produced 1.2 million passenger vehicles.