Which Canadian cities are being considered for Tesla and Ford manufacturing plants?
Executive summary
Public reporting and government filings show Tesla has been exploring Canada—primarily Ontario and sometimes Quebec—as a possible site for an “advanced manufacturing” or gigafactory, based on lobby registrations and comments by CEO Elon Musk [1] [2]. Ford’s recent Canadian activity in EV supply chains is concrete (a $1.2 billion cathode plant in Quebec), and Ford has committed to EV production in Canadian plants historically, but explicit new Ford plant city targets are not specified in the supplied reporting [3] [4].
1. Tesla’s Canada interest: lobbying and hints, not a finished site
Tesla’s public filings with Ontario’s lobbyist registry and statements by Elon Musk have driven most coverage that Canada — especially Ontario — is under active consideration for a gigafactory or advanced manufacturing facility [1] [2]. TechCrunch, Teslarati and other outlets cite Tesla amendments to a registration that describe engagement with Ontario government agencies to “identify opportunities for industrial and/or advanced manufacturing facility,” which reporters read as a sign Tesla is weighing Ontario locations [1] [5]. DriveTeslaCanada and AutoWeek likewise report industry belief that Ontario and Quebec are being looked at, but these are based on filings and remarks rather than a formal site announcement [6] [2].
2. Ontario is the focal point in the reporting — why that matters
Coverage emphasizes Ontario because of its existing automotive ecosystem, proximity to the U.S. Midwest, and local mining and battery-supply chains; reporters note Tesla’s filings explicitly target the Ontario government and agencies [1] [2]. TechCrunch and Teslarati point out Ontario’s established auto supply base and the argument in lobby documents that reforms and incentives could make it “competitive with high‑growth manufacturing locations in North America” — language that implies Tesla is evaluating permitting and incentive conditions rather than confirming a city [1] [5].
3. Quebec appears in some reports but with less concrete detail
Some reporting suggests Quebec is also on Tesla’s radar and that the province’s resources and battery ecosystem could be attractive; AutoWeek specifically lists Ontario and Quebec as provinces Tesla is believed to be considering [2]. However, the available sources stress provincial-level interest rather than named cities or approved sites for Tesla [2].
4. Ford’s Canada moves: a concrete cathode plant in Quebec, not a vehicle assembly city callout
Ford announced a real, specific investment — a $1.2 billion cathode materials factory in Quebec in partnership with SK On and EcoProBM — which is aimed at supplying batteries for Ford EVs [3]. Historical and earlier Ford communications note Ford planned EV production in Canada (a Canadian plant producing multiple EVs was referenced for 2025), but the supplied Ford materials do not list new candidate cities for a major vehicle manufacturing plant in Canada comparable to the Tesla gigafactory speculation [4] [3].
5. What the reporting does — and does not — prove
The supplied sources prove Tesla is exploring Canada via lobbying and public hints, with Ontario (and to a lesser extent Quebec) repeatedly named as under consideration; they do not prove a chosen city exists, nor do they give an announced site [1] [2] [5]. For Ford, the reporting documents a concrete battery-materials plant in Quebec and prior commitments to EV production in Canada, but not a current public list of Canadian cities being considered for a new Ford vehicle assembly plant in the present reporting [3] [4].
6. Competing perspectives and motivations to watch
Journalists interpret lobby filings as meaningful lead indicators that Tesla may favor Canada; that interpretation rests on the reasonable assumption that companies don’t register to engage governments lightly [1] [5]. Skeptical readers should note filings and CEO asides can be exploratory lobbying rather than firm commitments — filings ask for permitting and incentives review, which benefits any would‑be investor [1]. Ford’s public investment in Quebec shows a concrete supply‑chain commitment that could influence future vehicle plant siting decisions, even if no city names are published [3].
7. Bottom line for readers tracking cities
If you want named Canadian cities to watch: the current, provided reporting points to provincial targets — chiefly Ontario (and mentions of Quebec) — rather than confirmed municipalities for Tesla, and Ford’s newest plant reporting names Quebec for a cathode facility but does not list specific candidate cities for vehicle assembly in these sources [1] [2] [3] [4]. Available sources do not mention specific Canadian cities officially selected for Tesla or Ford manufacturing plants beyond these province-level indications [1] [3].