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No more public money for Lion Electric, Quebec government says

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • May 1, 2025

The assembly floor at Lion Electric Company's lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility is shown in Mirabel, Que., Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi

MONTREAL -- The Quebec government says it won't invest more public money in Lion Electric, putting the electric-vehicle maker's future in doubt.

Economy Minister Christine Frechette said in a statement Wednesday evening that it wouldn't be responsible to inject more government funds into the struggling company.

She said that while the province has a duty to support Quebec businesses, Lion's recovery plan recently submitted to the government "did not justify" more public funding.

The company, headquartered in St-Jerome, Que., sought creditor protection in December and has since been seeking a buyer.

Reports this week said a group of Quebec investors was interested in buying the company, which manufactured electric school buses and trucks, but needed $20 million in government aid -- a proposal that was presented to Premier Francois Legault's caucus this week.

The Quebec government has already invested $177 million in Lion Electric.

This report by was first published May 1, 2025.