General Motors said it will pause the US$1 billion expansion of its Quebec battery materials plant as it seeks to make its North American electric vehicle business profitable. As a result, mining giant Vale cancelled plans to provide nickel sulphate for the project, which was the second phase of a joint venture with South Korean chemical firm Posco. (The Logic, Radio-Canada)

Talking point: It’s another blow for the city of Bécancour, Que., which was on track to become a major hub for battery technology before EV demand faltered and companies like BASF and Northvolt cancelled projects. The first phase of GM’s $500-million Quebec plant remains on track, and the province hasn’t paid out any funding for either Vale’s or GM’s project. Both were also awarded federal funding, and the move adds to broader anxiety about whether automakers will stay committed to Canadian projects during the trade war with the U.S. It’s also extra pressure for Vale, which put its Manitoba nickel mine under strategic review earlier this year.