As the province hits the road to develop the “cars of the future,” the City of Markham’s emerging downtown will be in the driver’s seat.
Markham and Vaughan will develop automotive technology and smart mobility Demonstration Zones that will invite companies to test, pilot and showcase their products in a real-world environment.
In Markham, technology demonstrations will be conducted in Markham Centre, home to York University’s new campus. The zones will support automotive and mobility technology demonstrations and create opportunities for companies to answer ongoing calls for applications with innovative solutions.
“The Auto Mobility Demonstration Zone aligns with our vision to transform Markham into a frictionless city and to develop a living lab for rapid prototyping new initiatives,” Mayor Frank Scarpitti says. “Markham is already leading the way in automotive innovation and the addition of the Demonstration Zone furthers our commitment to advance the future of sustainable mobility technologies.”
As part of its $56.4-million commitment over four years to support the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the province is awarding Markham and Vaughan combined funding of $2.5 million. Together, the cities are contributing $1.4 million towards the $7.3-million project.
OVIN focuses on maximizing investments and impact across Ontario’s automotive value chain, including a shift towards smart and clean technologies. The Demonstration Zones will promote collaboration to advance automotive, mobility and smart city solutions.
“With a world-class workforce, state-of-the-art research and development facilities, and an abundance of critical minerals, Ontario has secured its position as a global leader in the auto sector,” says Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli.
“We’re building on that momentum with the new OVIN Demonstration Zone and ensuring that our innovators and entrepreneurs have the tools needed to bring made-in-Ontario automotive and mobility solutions to the world. The vehicles of the future will be built in Ontario, by Ontario workers.”
