Oshawa, Ontario Tech celebrate $2 million provincial automotive innovation investment

The City of Oshawa and Ontario Tech University welcomed a $2 million provincial investment in automotive technology and smart mobility solutions this week.

The city and its partners were at the north Oshawa university’s Automotive Centre of Excellence for the announcement, which will see the province invest up to $2 million in the Durham Region Innovation and Vehicle Ecosystem (DRIVE) one of Regional Technology Development Sites designated by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN).

The funding is part of a $17.5 million investment in nine technology development sites, with $32.8 million in matching industry investment and more than $19.3 million from the broader public sector, for a total of nearly $70 million.

The centres provide a network for Ontario-based small- and medium-sized enterprises to drive the development, testing, and commercialization of automotive and smart mobility solutions across the province, said Ontario Economic Development Minister Vic Fedeli, who declared the regional sites will provide Ontario businesses with the “tools, infrastructure and expertise” they need to commercialize made-in-Ontario solutions faster.

“By fostering the conditions for industry, municipalities and academia to collaborate, we will continue to position Ontario at the forefront of automotive and mobility innovation and fuel opportunities for economic growth and investment.”

The nine sites in Oshawa, Hamilton, Kingston, Ottawa, Simcoe, Waterloo, Windsor-Essex, York Region and in northern Ontario are physical sites that connect post-secondary institutions, regional innovation centres, incubators and accelerators, industry partners, and municipal and regional resources.

The Oshawa-Durham site is led by the City of Oshawa in partnership with Ontario Tech and is supported by key regional partners including the ACE Climatic Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel, Brilliant Catalyst, 1855 Technology Accelerator, the Region of Durham and the Town of Whitby.

The regional hubs provide businesses with access to state-of-the-art equipment, hardware, and software, such as the ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel in Oshawa; the Impact Chemistry Advanced Laboratories in Kingston; and NORCAT Underground R&D Mine in Sudbury, while also offering business and technical advisory services to expedite the commercialization of technologies developed at regional sites.

“The City of Oshawa and Durham Region are at the forefront of Canada’s mobility transformation, and OVIN’s support for the Durham Region Innovation and Vehicle Ecosystem is a powerful endorsement of our region’s strengths,” said Oshawa Mayor Dan Carter. “By bringing together industry, academia, and government, DRIVE is helping entrepreneurs accelerate innovation in electric and smart mobility, advanced manufacturing, rail, AI, cybersecurity, and micro-mobility—areas where Durham already excels.”

The result, said Ontario Centre for Innovation CEO Claudia Krywiak, is a province-wide network that turns regional innovation into “real economic impact.”

“We’re giving SMEs access to world-class infrastructure and expertise that helps them commercialize faster, strengthen supply chains, and compete globally. This investment ensures that made-in-Ontario mobility solutions drive jobs, growth, and long-term competitiveness across the province.”

The total investment in Oshawa and Durham is nearly $7 million, with more than $2.4 million in matching industry investment and $2.5 million-plus in public sector supports that includes access to municipal pilot opportunities for real-world demonstration zones, mentorship, workspace and co-location services, and acceleration support.

The funds will help position Oshawa and Durham as leaders in next-generation mobility, advanced manufacturing, and smart transportation innovation, said Oshawa Councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, who chairs the city’s Economic Development Services committee.

“This investment strengthens Oshawa’s position as a global leader and driving force in Ontario’s innovation economy – accelerating job creation, supporting our local SMEs and driving long-term economic growth across our metropolitan city and the broader Durham Region.”

DRIVE is led by the City of Oshawa in partnership with Ontario Tech and is supported by key regional partners including the ACE Climatic Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel, Brilliant Catalyst, 1855 Technology Accelerator, the Region of Durham and the Town of Whitby.

OVIN boss Raed Kadri said the key to the program is the network of support and expertise for small and medium-sized businesses and reduce barriers for start-ups and companies to create” homegrown solutions” to meet not only Ontario’s needs, “but those of customers all across the globe, to drive our economy forward.”

“As a global leader in the automotive and mobility sector, Ontario is driving the transformation towards a connected, electric future,” he said.