GNCC issues letter of congratulations on Asahi Kesai announcement

On behalf of the Greater Niagara Chamber of Commerce (GNCC), I wish to extend our sincerest congratulations on the significant achievement of attracting Asahi Kesai to establish an electric vehicle (EV) battery separator plant in Port Colborne. This decision marks a monumental step forward for our region’s economic landscape.

The success of Niagara in securing such a prestigious manufacturing facility is a testament to the exceptional efforts of our local economic development team, led by George Spezza. Their dedication and strategic vision have been instrumental in aligning Niagara’s strengths—our robust manufacturing sector, strategic geographic location, world-class educational institutions, and a skilled workforce—with the burgeoning opportunities in the EV sector.

This achievement sits within a broader context of strategic manufacturing investments across Ontario, including in cities such as Oakville, Cambridge, Alliston, Brantford, Windsor, and St. Thomas, involving major industry players like Volkswagen, Honda, Mitsui, and Dana Canada. These developments underscore the proactive role played by the governments of Canada and Ontario, in collaboration with municipal partners, to vigorously pursue and support EV manufacturing.

Niagara’s proactive economic strategies and the hard work of the development team have positioned us to capitalize on this growth, reinforcing BloombergNEF’s ranking of Ontario as the premier global location for EV battery supply chain development.

Niagara is set to continue to play a pivotal role as Ontario aspires to be for electric vehicles what Michigan has been for gasoline vehicles, Pennsylvania for steel, and Silicon Valley for computing. The future is bright, and we are enthusiastic about the transformative impact this project will have on our community.

Again, congratulations on this formidable achievement. We look forward to continuing our collaboration to foster further economic growth and prosperity in Niagara.