2022 Canadians to Watch

CHOSEN BECAUSE:

Chris Burns, 34, is the co-founder and CEO of Novonix, which researches advanced battery materials at its R&D headquarters in Halifax, and makes the materials in Tennessee. Canada, he says, can be a major player in the global auto industry’s electric vehicle shift. His company’s goal is to develop longer-life batteries and ultimately become a major supplier for electric vehicles, using “clean”

power where possible for the energy-intensive production of materials.

The Halifax facility builds batteries on a pilot line and tests them in an accelerated

process that Burns co-developed, allowing researchers to simulate years of battery

life in just a few weeks.

IN HIS OWN WORDS:

“As the industry evolves, and the presence of electric vehicles and energy storage systems grows, the need for technol

ogy and materials that support long-life high-performance applications has

become increasingly prevalent. Canada has an opportunity to play a key role

with our access to critical metals and minerals and clean energy generation

to support low-carbon operations.”