Why it matters: Some things you cannot buy with money Why it matters: A Volkswagen gigafactory, cathode-material plant or assembly plant would be a big win for Canada, as Volkswagen
ascends to the world’s top automaker in 2022. It’s a top-selling brand across Europe and China, but North America is the “third leg to the table” where it really needs to grow, said Boutin. That means maxing out its manufacturing in Tennessee and Mexico, but also looking for new sites where it can manufacture without adding to its carbon footprint.
“At this stage, I want to insist on this: Why Canada is so attractive is the question of renewable sources of energy,”
said Boutin, also noting the importance of clean mining and a well-established group of auto suppliers. The decision of where to put plants, he said, will not be a matter of government subsidies.
“Yes, Canada needs to be competitive, obviously, because we have different choices around the world.
But there's certain things that you cannot buy with money,” he said. “
The fact that cobalt, for instance, in North America, Canada pretty much has the exclusivity on it; the sustainable supply- chain potential that we see here. and the overall CO2 impact.”