When most people think of Canada, they rarely think of cars. But the country, known for hockey, maple syrup and endless wilderness, is one of the largest car producers in North America. And with the growing importance of electric vehicles, Canada hopes to breathe new life into its automotive industry and maintain a more than 100-year-old tradition.

Canada's automotive industry is primarily located in Ontario and Quebec, with Windsor, Ontario, claiming the title of Canada's automotive capital.

"We've been the auto capital of Canada since about 1904, when the first auto plant opened in Canada," said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkins.

Windsor, just across the river from Detroit, has benefited from its proximity to the United States and the three major carmakers headquartered there.

Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, and South Korean battery maker LG Energy Solutions (LGES) announced last year that they will invest more than 5 billion Canadian dollars ($3.5 billion) in building a new large-scale battery manufacturing plant in Windsor. The plant is expected to be operational by 2024 and will create an estimated 2,500 jobs.

"It's a massive, game-changing investment, and I'm not even sure these two words are big enough to describe how important it is for our community," Dilkins says. "This will have a generational impact. [Companies] will look at the new world of automotive and will start looking at Windsor Essex as a place to do business.

Investment by Stellantis and LGES is part of...

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