Rumours have been swirling that Canada could be home to Tesla’s next Gigafactory. Today those rumours ratcheted up a notch after Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne confirmed he has been talking with Tesla about a potential production facility in Canada.
While speaking to reporters in Vancouver on Wednesday, Champagne reiterated that “Canada is becoming the green supplier of choice to the auto industry.”
When asked specifically about Tesla and whether they are looking to build a factory in Canada, Champagne confirmed he has been in discussions with them, along with other automakers.
“Yes, I’m talking to them. I’m talking also to all the automakers around the world,” Champagne said (via Reuters)
The confirmation shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone that has been following the news that Tesla could be expanding into Canada, but it is good confirmation since it came directly from the horse’s mouth.
Champagne just last month visited Tesla’s facility in Markham, remarking on that day that “there is a piece of Canada in every Tesla.”
The rumours of a Canadian Gigafactory location began earlier this year when Elon Musk revealed Tesla was looking at potential factory sites in North America, specifically Canada and Mexico.
A few months later during the Annual Shareholder meeting, Musk again teased a Canadian Gigafactory saying “I am half-Canadian. Maybe I should?” when several shareholders suggested Canada as a potential location.
Additionally, lobbying activities registered with the federal government show Tesla has been pushing to build an advanced manufacturing facility in Canada.
Tesla also reportedly visited a graphite mine and plant in Quebec, and is also hiring a “high-volume” recruiter in Montreal, further hinting at a potential facility in Canada being announced soon.
