Toronto, Ontario — Quebec’s OEM-led electric vehicle battery recovery program is expanding across the nation.
Launched in 2023, the program began as a collaborative effort to deliver on a commitment to Québec by vehicle manufacturers. Vehicle manufacturers worked with leveraging the organization’s 28-year extensive expertise in end-of-life battery management across diverse formats and sectors, to develop and launch the EVBatteryRecovery.ca platform.
The EV Battery Recovery Program complements existing market driven resource recovery to ensure eligible EV batteries at risk of not being recycled or reused at end-of-life are responsibly managed and recovered.
With the national expansion, the EV Battery Recovery Program will now be accessible to battery-holder groups and stakeholders across the country, providing a streamlined process for responsible EV battery management in Canada. The program supports the sustainable handling of EV batteries, reducing environmental impact and advancing the circular economy by recovering and reusing valuable battery materials.
The expansion reinforces the commitment of participating vehicle manufacturers to collect and responsibly manage the end of life of their products, ensuring environmental sustainability and contributing to the circular economy.
According to program officials, the national expansion will provide increased accessibility to responsible EV battery management options for eligible EV battery custodians currently outside of the participating, established vehicle manufacturers’ management programsl. It wil also create the first national approach to EV battery management in North America and further support for developing a sustainable EV battery management ecosystem in Canada.
Program staff also expect it to provide auto recyclers with improved data and information on EV battery end-of-life trends and about future sustainability initiatives. It is also expected to increase dialogue between vehicle manufacturers, industry participants and stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments.
The national expansion of the EV Battery Recovery Program builds upon existing manufacturer-led programs that manage EV batteries under warranty, subject to recall or returned through dealer networks. By extending the coverage across the country, the program is meant to ensure eligible EV batteries are responsibly managed and the valuable resources are recovered, preventing improper disposal and supporting environmental goals.
According to Wally Dingman, executive director of the Auto Recyclers of Canada, the industry association is currently assessing the program.
“We applaud the national scope of this EV battery collection initiative — as long as it ensures full access for all our members to responsibly dispose of zero or negative value batteries at no cost and without delay,” Dingman said. “A truly circular system must work on the ground, in every region, without gaps. We look forward to further discussions with the CVMA to ensure the program is practical, inclusive, and supports the needs of the entire auto recycling industry.”
For more information, visit the program’s website.
