China’s BYD Opens a First Plant in Canada

As General Motors is ending car production at its Oshawa assembly plant, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD announced on Tuesday that it had opened its first plant in Canada.

The 45,000-square foot facility is located in Newmarket, Ontario and will initially focus on assembling buses for the Toronto Transit Commission. The transport agency will receive 10 electric buses (specifications to be determined) with an option for 30 more.

• Also: Chinese Electric Car Costing $6,000 Approved for Sale in the U.S.
• Also: Imperium Motors Makes Great First Impression in Canada

“We are dedicated to partnering with municipalities across Canada, and we are passionate about our mission to create a cleaner environment here in North America and across the globe,” said Stella Li, President of BYD.

While Newmarket is BYD’s first Canadian assembly plant, the Warren Buffett-backed company is already active in Canada with buses on order (or in operation) in Toronto, Victoria, Longueuil, St. Albert and Grand Prairie.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, each zero-emission bus like those manufactured by BYD eliminates approximately 10 tons of nitrogen oxides, 350 pounds of diesel particulate matter and approximately 1,690 tons of CO2 over the 12-year lifecycle of the vehicle.

“As traditional auto manufacturing is withdrawing from Canada, municipalities across the country are re-doubling their efforts to tackle climate change through zero-emissions transit,” said Ted Dowling, Vice President of BYD Canada. “BYD is well-positioned to replicate in Canada the kind of rapid growth we’ve seen in places like Lancaster, California—a plant which started with about 100 workers in 2013, and now employs more than 750. Together with our partners in York Region and the town of Newmarket we’re going to put Canada on the map as a North American leader in electric bus assembly.”