In the fall of 2022, Minister François-Philippe Champagne was instrumental in announcing over $500 million in federal funding for large-scale projects with major corporations. Noteworthy initiatives included a $222 million investment for Rio Tinto's environmentally friendly titanium processing in Quebec, and $300 million for Air Products Canada's hydrogen facility in Alberta. These efforts are strategically aligned with Canada’s goals to bolster a domestic electric vehicle battery industry and support innovation amidst a busy schedule that highlighted partnerships with provincial governments. Additionally, significant funding was also directed towards aiding small businesses.
In just under a month, the federal government had announced, in partnership with two often hostile provincial conservative governments, just over half a billion dollars in funding for large projects by established companies.
The federal government would contribute $222 million to efforts to make Rio Tinto's local titanium and scandium processing plant more environmentally friendly.
In mid-October, Champagne joined then-prime minister Justin Trudeau in Sorel, Quebec, for a press conference with global mining giant Rio Tinto.
In early November, Champagne was in Edmonton with his federal colleagues to unveil $300 million in federal support for a $1.6 billion investment by Air Products Canada in a hydrogen production facility.
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