{"id":669316,"date":"2026-05-14T17:00:17","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:00:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/669316\/"},"modified":"2026-05-14T17:00:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T17:00:17","slug":"indefinite-suspension-honda-slams-brakes-on-ontario-ev-plant-construction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/669316\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Indefinite suspension\u2019: Honda slams brakes on Ontario EV plant construction"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Honda Canada has hit the brakes on its plan to build a $15-billion electric vehicle plant in Alliston, Ont.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/70c8fc80.png\" alt=\"\" style=\"position:absolute;width:1px;height:1px\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\"\/><\/p>\n<p>The Japanese carmaker confirmed the development in a statement Thursday after <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11836823\/honda-ev-plant\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">reports surfaced last week<\/a> that the automaking giant was halting its plans to construct the facility.<\/p>\n<p>The decision to halt the project does not impact current employment or production levels at its Alliston operation, <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/tag\/honda\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Honda<\/a> said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHonda announced an indefinite suspension of the Canadian value chain investment project in response to evolving business conditions, a change in external resource strategy and shifting customer demand,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/hondanews.ca\/en-CA\/releases\/honda-canada-statement-on-indefinite-suspension-of-canadian-value-chain-investment\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">its statement reads.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBased on our revised strategic objectives, we have determined that an indefinite suspension of the value chain project is appropriate at this stage. We will continue reviewing our future procurement and business strategies, while carefully monitoring market conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>The office of Industry Minister Melanie Joly said last week that it was in \u201cregular contact\u201d with Honda regarding the plant.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAmerican tariffs and changes to U.S. domestic policies are creating real pressures for automakers, prompting some to delay or scale back investments in electric vehicle and battery projects,\u201d a spokesperson for Joly\u2019s office said in an emailed statement; however, they did not clarify whether Honda had communicated any plans to scale back to Ottawa.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe remain in regular contact with Honda and will continue to put Canadians\u2019 interest first.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tCanada&#8217;s competitiveness being &#8216;tested in real time&#8217;: New Tecumseth mayor\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The new EV plant had the potential to create 1,000 jobs, on top of the 4,200 in Alliston. The project was announced in 2024 and production was slated to begin by 2028.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"170\" height=\"225\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/1767930311_275_national.jpg\" alt=\"Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won't miss a trending story.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\tGet breaking National news<\/p>\n<p>Get breaking Canada news delivered to your inbox as it happens so you won&#8217;t miss a trending story.<\/p>\n<p>However, <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/news\/11177134\/honda-canada-ev-investment-postponed-ontario\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">the project was delayed<\/a>, with Honda announcing a two-year pause in 2025. At the time, Honda attributed the delay to the \u201cslowdown of the EV market.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Under the original plan, the plant was set to produce up to 240,000 vehicles per year when fully operational in 2028.<\/p>\n<p>Two years ago, the plant was one of a series of electric vehicle-related jobs announced by then-prime minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. The projects were supported through tax credits and direct support from both levels of government.<\/p>\n<p>Ottawa was set to give the Japanese automaker around $2.5 billion through tax credits, while Ontario committed to providing up to $2.5 billion in support directly and indirectly.<\/p>\n<p>Honda said no money had been transferred to the company for the project.<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Honda stalls $15B EV investment in Ontario'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/250513-ERIC.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"   data-\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2:11<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHonda stalls $15B EV investment in Ontario\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Richard Norcross, Town of New Tecumseth mayor, said Canada\u2019s competitiveness is being \u201ctested in real time.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThrough our council and the Simcoe Area Auto Mayors, we are actively pushing for coordinated action and stronger alignment with industry needs. This includes continued advocacy, collaboration, and engagement \u2014 both domestically and internationally \u2014 to reinforce relationships and demonstrate that our region remains ready, capable, and competitive,\u201d he said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNew Tecumseth has long been a proud manufacturing community, and we will continue to stand behind that legacy. We will work directly with Honda and all our manufacturing partners to protect local jobs, sustain our economic base, and ensure opportunities like this are not lost \u2014 but brought back stronger. We are ready to do our part. The federal government must do theirs. We need action \u2014 now.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tMore on Canada<br \/>\n\t\t\tMore videos\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t&#8216;EV demand has declined considerably&#8217;: Honda\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>Honda on Thursday also announced it had posted a US$2.7-billion loss, its first-ever full-year loss.<\/p>\n<p>It said losses related to EV operations are estimated to total US$16 billion, incurred mostly in the fiscal year just ended and the current fiscal year.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEV demand has declined considerably, due to the rollback of environmental regulations in the U.S. and other factors,\u201d Honda said in a separate statement.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-video__image\" alt=\"Click to play video: 'Honda, Stellantis promise no job losses, continued commitment to EV sector: Joly'\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ONLINE_STILL_JOLY_EV_SECTOR.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\"   data-\/><\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2:02<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tHonda, Stellantis promise no job losses, continued commitment to EV sector: Joly\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s administration has pulled back on incentive programs for EVs and withheld money to states wanting to add more EV charging stations, even as gas prices have soared over the war in Iran.<\/p>\n<p>Trump also blocked California\u2019s stringent electric vehicle mandates last year, backpedalling on the shift to environmental models.<\/p>\n<p>Trump\u2019s tariffs on imported autos and auto parts, although lowered to 15 per cent from the initial 25 per cent, also put a dent in Honda\u2019s profitability.<\/p>\n<p>Honda\u2019s EV project is just one of many that have fizzled out in Canada.<\/p>\n<p>General Motors ended production of its BrightDrop electric delivery van last year, Ford Motor Co. has pivoted from EVs to pickup truck plans at its Oakville, Ont., plant and several battery-related plants have been shelved.<\/p>\n<p>Story continues below advertisement<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, construction on what will be Canada\u2019s largest EV battery plant began in St. Thomas, Ont., began last October. When operational in 2027, the plant by PowerCo SE \u2014 founded by Volkswagen \u2014 will see batteries produced for the German automaker\u2019s growing electric vehicle range.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014\u00a0with files from <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/author\/isaac-callan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Isaac Callan<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/author\/colin-dmello\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Colin D\u2019Mello,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/globalnews.ca\/author\/uday-rana\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Uday Rana<\/a> The Canadian Press and The Associated Press<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t&amp;copy 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Honda Canada has hit the brakes on its plan to build a $15-billion electric vehicle plant in Alliston,&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":669317,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[45,49,48,80098,46,8986,3827,13404],"class_list":["post-669316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-business","tag-business","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canada-politics","tag-economy","tag-electric-vehicles","tag-honda","tag-ontario-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669316"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669316\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/669317"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}