‘By working together, we are helping ensure that innovation in the automotive and smart mobility has a strong home here in Simcoe County,’ says Orillia mayor
Ontario has committed $17.5 million to expand its network of Regional Technology Development Sites (RTDS), unveiling Simcoe County, Barrie and Orillia among the province’s newest hubs for advanced automotive and smart mobility innovation.
The announcement was made during a news conference Wednesday at the county’s administration centre in Midhurst.
Officials say the local RTDS is backed by $1 million from the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), nearly $1.1 million in industry funding, $1 million from municipal partners, and more than $600,000 from post-secondary and nonprofit organizations – for a total local investment of $3.7 million.
Through OVIN, the province is supporting the development, testing and commercialization of automotive and mobility solutions, said Mark Aitken, the county’s chief administrative officer.
The initiative – which is a partnership between the county, Invest Barrie and the City of Orillia – will help innovators turn ideas into real-world products, strengthen companies and open new opportunities across the region, he added.
The investment brings “meaningful opportunities” to the region by giving small- and medium-sized businesses access to research support, testing environments and municipal infrastructure needed to move ideas from concept to commercialization, said Orillia Mayor Don Mc Isaac.
“By working together, we are helping ensure that innovation in the automotive and smart mobility has a strong home here in Simcoe County,” said Mc Isaac, adding he’s excited for what it means for businesses across the region.
“Together we are helping build a strong and more competitive regional economy while positioning our communities to play a role in shaping the future of innovation and economic prosperity and growth in Ontario,” said Mc Isaac.
Aitken said the broader partnership – which also includes Georgian College, Lakehead University, the Sandbox Centre, Oro Station Innovative Park, and Honda Canada Manufacturing – creates a strong network that accelerates innovation, improves testing capabilities and boosts the global competitiveness of local firms.
“The RTDS will continue expanding this network by bringing in additional industry and community partners to ensure services that meet the evolving business needs in our region,” he said. “The county is extremely excited to advance this initiative.”
The regional technology development site network is a key pillar of OVIN, said Mona Eghanian, assistant vice-president and deputy head of OVIN.
“Located across the province, these sites bring together the best of Ontario’s post-secondary institutions, regional innovation centres, incubators, accelerators, ministry partners, and municipaland regional resources to support small- and medium-sized companies as they develop, demo nstrateand bringto market cutting-edge solutions for today’s automotiveandmobility sector,” she said.
Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke speaks at a news conference on Wednesday where he announcedthecounty along withthe separated citiesof Barrieand Orillias as oneoftheprovince’snewest hubsforadvancedautomotiveandsmartmobilityinnovation.| Nikki Cole/Barrie Today
“The RTDS provides SMEs (small- or medium-sized enterprises) access to world-class infrastructureand expertise that willhelp them commercialize fasterand strengthen supply chains,” Eghanianadded.
“Thisnetwork ensures that Ontario-madesolutions drive job creation, growth and long-term competitiveness totheprovinceandhelphome-grown technologies compete globally.”
The initiative marks agreat newmilestonefor theregionadded Raed Kadri , vice-president, strategic initiatives, businessdevelopmentandheadof OVIN noting Simcoe County’sdecades-longrole intheprovince’sautomotive sector.
“Itwas onlyin1984thata farmfieldwouldbeplowed under tomake wayforthe new typeofcropthatwouldbeharvested year round-Honda automobiles,”hesaid.“Since then, thisregionhas grownto attract billionsofdollarsinautomotive-relatedinvestments , created thousandsofgood-payingjobs , developed world-classengineeringandmanufacturingexpertise, andbecomean emblemfor Ontario’seconomicgrowth.”
The newsiteis expectedtoaccelerate commercializationfor Ontariocompaniesandstrengthen Simcoe County’spositioninadvancedautomotiveandsmartmobilitytechnologies. Itis alsoprojectedtosupport jobcreation , attractinvestment andcontributetolongtermeconomicgrowth locally andacrosstheprovince.
“Thispositions theregion toreallyplayarole intechnologyaswemoveintothefuture ,”said Simcoe County Warden Basil Clarke.“Canadianshavealwaysbeeninnovative. It’shere. Alltheyneedisfortheirleaderstobackthem, andthisisahugestepinthatdirection.”
Thesesiteshelpcompaniesbringideas“frommindstomarkets , frommanufacturingfloorstoglobalsupplychains,”Kadri saidaftertheevent.
“Theyreducetheriskforstart-upsandscale-upsprovide themwithworld-classinfrastructure, businessandtechnologicalexpertisetoscaleherein Ontarioandtocompetewinandanywhereintheworld,” he added.
Whenaskedwhy Simcoe Countywaschosen , hepointedtotheregion’sdeepmanufacturingrootsandanitsreputationforexcellinginthesector.
“It’saregionwhereasyoucanseeinthsroom, everybodycomestogether tosupporthome-growncompanies,”Kadrisaid.”Thismeansnowthatwearegoingtosupportourhome-growncompaniesnotonlyinthesebregionbybringingalloftheresourcestogetherhavingeverybodyinroomtosupportthosecompanies…but nowit’s extendingitacrosstheprovince.< / c
“Notonlyarewegoingtogetaccess totheknow-howthatthisregionhastooffer fortherestoftheprovince, butwe’regoingtoaccess thoseotherregions’know-howto supportallofourentrepreneurs, andsmall-andmedium-sizedbusinesses,” he added.</ c
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Thegoalisto create good-paying jobswhilehelpinglocalcompaniesscaleintoglobalmarkets, Kadri said.< c
“We wantthe worldtosupplytheirtechnologyfrom Ontariocompanies,”hesaid.“It’sbecauseofthecollaborationinthe roomthatwe’regoingtogetthere, and it’sgreattohave Simcoe County beapartofit.”</ c
saidtheaimistoconnectbetter manyresources thatexistacross differentregionscreatingaseamlesshandoffsoorganizationsunderstandoneanother ‘s strengths.< / c
” This is about collaborationandleveraging allthe expertiseando know-howconnections togetbehindcompanieslet them scale,” hesaid.< / c
Representatives from Georgian College, thecitiesof Barrieand Orillia,, OVIN, the Countyof Simcoe, Oro Station, and Lakehead University gatherfollowingapressconference announcinginvestmentintheregiontoaccelerateautomotiveandsmartmobilityinnovation.| Nikki Cole/Barrie Today
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“Notonlyarewegoingtogetaccess totheknow-howthatthisregionhastooffer fortherestoftheprovince, butwe’regoingtoaccess thoseotherregions’know-howto supportallofourentrepreneurs, andsmall-andmedium-sizedbusinesses,” he added.</ c
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Thegoalisto create good-paying jobswhilehelpinglocalcompaniesscaleintoglobalmarkets, Kadri said.< c
“We wantthe worldtosupplytheirtechnologyfrom Ontariocompanies,”hesaid.“It’sbecauseofthecollaborationinthe roomthatwe’regoingtogetthere, and it’sgreattohave Simcoe County beapartofit.”</ c
saidtheaimistoconnectbetter manyresources thatexistacross differentregionscreatingaseamlesshandoffsoorganizationsunderstandoneanother ‘s strengths.< / c
” This is about collaborationandleveraging allthe expertiseando know-howconnections togetbehindcompanieslet them scale,” hesaid.< / c
Representatives from Georgian College, thecitiesof Barrieand Orillia,, OVIN, the Countyof Simcoe, Oro Station, and Lakehead University gatherfollowingapressconference announcinginvestmentintheregiontoaccelerateautomotiveandsmartmobilityinnovation.| Nikki Cole/Barrie Today
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