General Motors (GM) has reaffirmed that the Ultium CAM battery-materials manufacturing facility project in Bécancour, Que., is still proceeding, although its start has been delayed.

Sustainable Biz Canada reported that the joint-venture with South Korea’s POSCO Future M remains on track albeit with a revised completion timeline.

“Construction and commissioning of the Ultium CAM facility, GM’s joint-venture with POSCO Future M, [are] progressing with production expected to begin in early 2026,” a GM spokesperson told Sustainable Biz.

Originally, production was scheduled to begin in the first half of 2025.

The facility is expected to produce 30,000 tonnes of cathode active materials (CAM) annually, supplying battery components for hundreds of thousands of GM electric vehicles. The automaker has pledged to transition to selling only electric light-duty vehicles by 2035, requiring significant expansion in battery- production capacity.

POSCO Future M has reinforced its commitment to the project with a US$483-million investment, despite headwinds in the EV sector and uncertainty from U.S. policies under President Donald Trump. The Trump administration introduced and then postponed most of its tariffs on Canadian exports for a month, raising concerns about impacts on the auto sector.

Canada has threatened to impose retaliatory measures after launching $30 million in tariff and delaying $125 million in additional levies for 30 days.

The Ultium CAM facility, announced in 2022 with an estimated initial investment of $500 million, has since expanded to a second phase, bringing total investment above US$1 billion. The project, which has received support from both the Canadian and Quebec governments, is expected to create 200 jobs.

While Canada’s EV battery sector faces challenges—including Northvolt’s bankruptcy in the U.S. and Ford withdrawing from a $1.2-billion battery plant partnership in Bécancour—some projects continue to advance. Volkswagen’s PowerCo SE is proceeding with its St. Thomas, Ont., battery factory, scheduled to begin operations in 2027.

Pictured: Future Ultium CAM battery-materials facility in Bécancour, Que.

Rendering: General Motors