Canada EV Battery Recycling Companies

Canada EV Battery Recycling Companies accelerate toward mainstream adoption in Canada and around the world, a new challenge has emerged alongside this rapid growth: what to do with EV batteries once they reach the end of their useful life. These batteries contain valuable materials such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other metals critical to the EV supply chain. Without effective recycling infrastructures, these materials can become environmental liabilities rather than economic assets.

Canada, with its vast natural resources and strong environmental policies, has been actively building solutions for EV battery recycling. Several organizations—from not-for-profit producers to innovative recycling companies—are stepping up to create sustainable, safe, and economically viable pathways for recycling end-of-life EV batteries and other lithium-ion cells. This article explores the leading EV battery recycling entities in Canada, their technologies, partnerships, facilities, and the broader significance of battery recycling in the Canadian clean-tech landscape.

Why EV Battery Recycling Matters in Canada

Electric vehicle adoption in Canada continues to rise year over year. As provinces like British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario, and others push for greater electrification of transportation, the number of retired EV batteries will grow exponentially within the next decade. These batteries are rich in rare and precious materials that can be recovered and fed back into battery manufacturing, reducing the need for new mining and lowering carbon footprints.

Beyond material recovery, EV battery recycling supports:

• Environmental safety – minimizing hazardous waste in landfills.

• Resource security – less dependence on imported battery materials.

• Circular economy growth – supporting domestic critical mineral value chains.

• Job creation – in recycling, logistics, and clean-tech sectors.

Canada’s approach to EV battery recycling blends corporate initiatives, cross-industry partnerships, provincial regulations, and environmental stewardship. Below we detail the main players in this evolving ecosystem.

Key EV Battery Recycling Companies in Canada

Here’s an overview of notable companies and organizations involved in EV battery recycling and related processes in Canada:

We’ll explore each of these in detail.

Lithion Technologies: A Leader in Battery Mineral Recovery

Overview

Lithion Technologies, based in Montreal, Quebec, has emerged as a leading name in EV battery recycling in Canada. The company’s technology focuses on hydrometallurgical recycling, which chemically processes used batteries to extract high-value critical minerals.

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Key Technology

Lithion’s recycling process involves dismantling used EV batteries, shredding them, and extracting a concentrated mixture of metals often referred to as “black mass.” This black mass contains lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, and manganese, all of which are sought-after in battery manufacturing. The company reports that it can recover up to 95% of battery materials and up to 98% of critical minerals, significantly reducing the need for new mining.

Strategic Partnerships

Lithion has secured multi-year partnerships with major automotive brands operating in Canada. For example:

• Hyundai Auto Canada officially designated Lithion as its partner for collecting and recycling EV batteries across Canada, connecting over 250 Hyundai and Genesis dealerships to the recycling process.

• Nissan Canada also entered a recycling partnership with Lithion, reinforcing the automaker’s sustainability commitments and supporting circular material flows.

These partnerships strengthen Lithion’s role not just as a recycler, but as a strategic ecosystem partner in the automotive and clean energy sectors.

Commercial Facility

Lithion’s commercial recycling facility in Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Quebec, began operations in 2024 and is designed to process thousands of tonnes of batteries annually. The facility aims to:

• Maximize material recovery.

• Reduce environmental impact.

• Feed recovered critical minerals back into battery supply chains.

Despite its leading role, Lithion has faced financial and operational challenges. In late 2025, the company entered creditor protection under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act, highlighting the complex economics of large-scale battery recycling.

Why It Matters

Lithion’s work exemplifies Canada’s innovation in battery recycling technology, showcasing how domestic companies can integrate recovery processes with global automotive supply chains.

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Call2Recycle Canada: National Battery Collection and Recycling Network

Who They Are

Call2Recycle Canada is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to battery recycling across the country. While its origins are in consumer and household batteries, Call2Recycle has expanded to include e-mobility and electric vehicle batteries through partnerships and provincial programs.

Collection Infrastructure

Call2Recycle operates one of the largest battery collection networks in Canada with nearly 15,000 drop-off locations nationwide. These sites include:

• Retail partners

• Municipal recycling centers

• Community collection points

This widespread network makes it easy for consumers and businesses to recycle batteries responsibly, including EV battery packs and modules that fall under extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws.

Strategic Expansion with EVSX

Partnerships amplify Call2Recycle’s impact:

• It supports EVSX Corporation’s expanded battery processing facility in Thorold, Ontario.

• The facility includes a multi-chemistry line capable of processing lithium-ion and other battery types, turning waste into recovered metals and materials used in new battery production.

Regulatory Role

Call2Recycle also plays a key role in helping industry members meet provincial EPR regulations, ensuring compliance and proper end-of-life management for batteries sold and distributed in Canada.

Why It Matters

Rather than focusing solely on processing, Call2Recycle’s nationwide collection strategy fills a crucial gap—making battery recycling accessible and convenient for Canadians while integrating with larger processing operations.

EVSX Corporation (St-Georges Eco-Mining): Ontario’s Multi-Chemistry Recycler

Company Background

EVSX Corporation is a wholly-owned subsidiary of St-Georges Eco-Mining Corp., a company that focuses on environmental and resource efficiency technologies. Based in Thorold, Ontario, its facility specializes in multi-chemistry battery processing—a capability that goes beyond just lithium-ion cells to include various battery types.

Facility Capabilities

The Thorold facility:

• Can process different types of batteries, including EV, e-mobility, and consumer batteries.

• Sorts and recovers metals such as aluminum, copper, nickel, and other valuable components.

• Has regulatory approval to handle larger volumes and multiple chemistries, expanding beyond typical single-chemistry recycling.

Partnership with Call2Recycle

Call2Recycle and EVSX signed a cooperation agreement to increase battery supply volumes to the Thorold plant. This arrangement helps reduce transportation emissions (by keeping batteries within Ontario) and boosts local processing capacity.

Why It Matters

EVSX’s multi-chemistry approach is significant because Canada’s battery waste stream is diverse—not just limited to EV packs but also including e-bikes, scooters, and other devices. This flexibility positions EVSX as a comprehensive recycler, aligning with broader circular economy goals.

Li-Cycle: A Canadian Name in International Battery Recycling

Historical Role

Li-Cycle, based in Toronto, Ontario, was once a major player in lithium battery recycling and a prominent name in North America’s battery recycling sector. The company specialized in producing “black mass”—a concentrated form of battery waste enriched with valuable metals—which could then be further refined into battery-grade materials.

Li-Cycle operated facilities in Ontario and the United States, contributing to the recovery of critical metals and supporting North America’s EV supply chain.

Restructuring and Financial Challenges

In 2025, Li-Cycle filed for bankruptcy protection under Canada’s Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act due to financial and operational difficulties. Its U.S. subsidiaries also filed for Chapter 15 protection as part of restructuring efforts.

While the company’s future remains uncertain, Li-Cycle’s legacy highlights both the promise and the challenges of large-scale battery recycling—especially the capital intensity and technological demands required to scale such operations.

Why It Matters

Li-Cycle’s story is a cautionary tale and a learning opportunity for Canada’s emerging EV battery recycling ecosystem. Its early successes demonstrated the potential of domestic recycling leadership, while its financial issues underline the importance of sustainable business models and supportive investment frameworks.

Comparison of Key Canadian Battery Recycling Entities

The Broader Impact of EV Battery Recycling in Canada

Canada sits at a strategic nexus in the global EV supply chain. It is a major producer of critical minerals like nickel and cobalt, and its clean energy footprint makes it ideal for sustainable battery materials production. By investing in battery recycling, Canada is:

Reducing Environmental Impact

Battery recycling prevents hazardous materials from entering landfills and supports more environmentally sound end-of-life management. Recovered materials can displace newly mined resources, resulting in fewer emissions and less environmental degradation.

Supporting Domestic Supply Chains

Canada’s recycling infrastructure feeds materials back into battery manufacturing and materials refinement, strengthening domestic capabilities and reducing reliance on imports.

Creating Jobs and Innovation

From local collection networks to advanced processing technologies, EV battery recycling supports high-tech jobs and innovative research in metallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and sustainable manufacturing.

Aligning with Policy and Regulation

Canada’s provinces are introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations to ensure ethical end-of-life management for batteries and other products. Entities like Call2Recycle help producers comply with these standards while promoting best practices.

Challenges and Future Outlook

Despite progress, the industry faces several challenges:

Capital Intensity

Large-scale recycling facilities require significant upfront investment in infrastructure, technology, and certification, which can be a barrier for emerging companies.

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Technological Complexity

Lithium-ion batteries vary in chemistry and design, requiring adaptable recycling technologies to recover materials efficiently and safely.

Market Dynamics

Global demand for recycled materials, commodity prices, and policy incentives all influence the viability of recycling operations.

Regulatory Alignment

Harmonizing provincial regulations and expanding producer responsibility programs will be key to scaling collection and recycling infrastructures.

Conclusion

Canada’s EV battery recycling landscape is evolving rapidly, driven by public demand for sustainable solutions, government policy support, and innovation in clean-tech companies. Leading organizations like Lithion Technologies, Call2Recycle Canada, and EVSX Corporation are laying the groundwork for a circular economy that recovers valuable materials from end-of-life EV batteries and contributes to domestic critical mineral supply chains.

While challenges remain—such as financing large recycling plants and keeping pace with technological change—Canada’s approach demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship, economic resilience, and technological leadership in battery recycling.