Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is trying to land supply chain deals with major German vehicle manufacturers in the face of fierce competition from the US on electric-vehicle production.
Industry minister Francois-Philippe Champagne has embarked on a week-long trip to Belgium and Germany, where he will attend the management conference of Volkswagen and the board meeting of Mercedes-Benz Group, among other gatherings.
In August, the government signed memorandums of understanding with both groups during German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s visit to Canada. This week’s trip is about “bringing that to the next level”, Champagne said in an interview.