‘Homemade bombs’ found at construction site for Northvolt EV battery plant in Quebec

MONTREAL — The company building a major plant for electric vehicle batteries in Quebec says “homemade bombs” were found this morning at the construction site east of Montreal.

Paolo Cerruti, co-founder of Swedish manufacturer Northvolt, says company employees discovered bombs had been placed over the weekend under machinery “with clear intent to harm our workers.”

He says the triggering devices did not work and the company contacted police.

Cerruti, who is also CEO of Northvolt North America, is scheduled to speak to reporters about the discovery later today.

Northvolt AB announced plans to open its $7-billion factory for electric vehicle batteries near Montreal by the end of 2026, on a site that straddles two communities about 30 kilometres east of Montreal — McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand.

Since it was announced in September, the project has faced opposition from environmental groups and the Mohawk community, who say the plant is being built on environmentally sensitive land without being subjected to a proper review.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 6, 2024.

The Canadian Press