NextStar opens Canada's first large-scale battery plant

NextStar Energy has officially opened a 4.23 million-square-foot battery manufacturing facility in Windsor, Ontario.

The site has been under development since 2022 and has produced battery cells since November 2025. NextStar said it has manufactured more than one million cells so far.

Ontario estimates the project will create up to 2,500 direct jobs in Windsor and the surrounding region. NextStar has hired more than 1,300 workers and expects to add about 1,200 more as it reaches full operating capacity.

The opening comes as governments in Canada and elsewhere compete for investment in the electric-vehicle supply chain and related energy-storage demand. Ontario tied the project to its broader efforts to secure manufacturing jobs and attract industrial investment.

"NextStar's commitment to Ontario workers reflects the hard work our government has done to cut taxes and red tape, attract historic levels of investment and build the most competitive, resilient, self-reliant economy in the G7," said Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario.

Ownership shift

NextStar was formed as a joint venture between Dutch firm Stellantis and South Korea's LG Energy Solution.

Last month, LG Energy Solution announced it is buying Stellantis' equity stake, making it the sole owner of the Windsor facility. The company said the target of 2,500 direct jobs remains unchanged as the sale progresses.

Ontario valued the project at $5 billion and said the opening reaffirmed the company's commitment to the province. The province also framed the plant as part of a broader push to strengthen domestic supply chains tied to vehicle manufacturing and energy infrastructure.

"By leveraging LG Energy Solution's technological expertise alongside Windsor's manufacturing might, NextStar Energy has solidified its position as a cornerstone in North America's battery ecosystem," said Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade.

Beyond vehicles

NextStar is best known for its link to electric vehicle production, but it is also positioning the plant's output for broader uses, including energy storage systems. It cited demand tied to AI data centres, electricity grids, and other infrastructure that requires large amounts of stored power.

Ontario said it first announced support for the project, alongside the federal government, in March 2022. It described the investment as part of a plan to reshape the province's automotive supply chain as the industry transitions to electrification.

The province has made manufacturing central to its economic policy and says the sector employs more than 800,000 workers across the province. The provincial government also cited $213 billion in investment since 2018 from foreign and domestic companies, including more than $46 billion tied to vehicle manufacturing and the EV battery supply chain.

NextStar said it expects to scale production further as hiring continues and as it broadens its customer base beyond automotive manufacturers.