“Northvolt is demonstrating very high levels of transparency,” Kim Thomassin, first vice-president and head of the Caisse de dépôt etplacement du Québec, said Thursday as protesters blocked the entrance to the controversial construction site of the future Northvolt factory.
“The company has an ISO 14001 certified environmental and environmental management policy and is therefore committed to reporting everything it does in a very transparent manner,” explained Kim Thomassin, first vice president. and head of the fund.
On Thursday morning, activists from the group Climate Rage blocked the entrance to the site of the future Northvolt factory to “delay the filling of wetlands.” The signs read “Revolution or Apocalypse” and “Let’s destroy tank culture.”
According to TVA Nouvelles, the group of about twenty protesters left the scene when police arrived about forty minutes later.
About ten demonstrators from the Rage Climatique group block the entrance and exit of the Northvolt site in Saint-Basile-le-Grand on Thursday, February 22, 2024. FACEBOOK Rage Climatique “Photo from Facebook, Rage Climatique”
At the same time, those responsible for the Quebecers' nest egg in Montreal presented their findings to the media at their headquarters, Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle.
30% growth
When asked about social acceptance of the Northvolt factory project, Caisse CEO Charles Emond did not want to get involved in wetlands.
The CEO of the Caisse, Charles Emond. Archive photo, Chantal Poirier
“We leave what can be done at the level of the assessment processes to the responsible authorities,” he replied, shortening the matter.
“It is an industry that forecasts a growth rate of 30% per year,” also recalled the fund’s number 1.
Charles Emond said he had been “watching this battery sector closely for two or three years” before investing in Swedish company Northvolt’s parent company.
Does he plan to put money back into Northvolt after the $200 million convertible note last November?
“There is a part of our portfolio that can make such an investment, but for us it is still too early,” he concluded.
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