August 8, 2025 Volkswagen’s battery subsidiary PowerCo has launched its first recruitment drive for what will be the largest electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in Canada, promising hundreds of well-paid jobs in its early phase and thousands once fully operational.
Construction on the \$7-billion facility in St. Thomas, Ont., is set to begin within weeks, with production targeted for 2027. PowerCo says initial hires will include chemists, engineers, information technology specialists and sustainability experts. St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston called the project “a fundamental transformation” for the community of about 43,000 people.
Volkswagen estimates the plant will eventually produce enough cells to power about one million EVs annually. The company says the facility will run on 100 per cent carbon-free electricity and play a central role in building a North American EV supply chain.
The announcement comes with significant public investment — federal and Ontario governments have committed subsidies worth up to \$13.2 billion over ten years, according to reporting by Electric Autonomy ([link](https://electricautonomy.ca/ev-supply-chain/batteries/2023-04-22/vw-20-billion-ontario-battery-factory/)). Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the deal, saying in a social media post that “this money belongs to Canadians. Not to a foreign corporation.”
There are also questions about trade and supply chain risks. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume told reporters the company must “face up” to potential impacts from changing U.S. auto tariffs ([link](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/vw-ontario-powerco-plant-faces-174544675.html)), while analysts warn delays at related supplier projects, such as Umicore’s planned cathode materials plant near Kingston, could affect production timelines.
Recruitment for the St. Thomas plant begins as the global EV market faces both rapid growth and political uncertainty, with Canada positioning itself as a major player in the battery manufacturing sector.
