Experts across Ontario’s automotive industry, postsecondary institutions, and non-profit organizations will inform OVIN’s efforts to foster Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) across workforce planning and talent strategy initiatives
(May 16 —Toronto, ON) The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) is launching a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Advisory Committee as part of a collaborative and inclusive governance structure to support the effective implementation of Ontario’s Talent Strategy & Roadmap for the automotive and mobility workforce. Comprised of experts from the automotive industry, postsecondary institutions, and non-profit organizations, the OVIN DEI Advisory Committee will steer workforce planning and talent strategy initiatives aimed at addressing barriers to employment and increasing representation of diverse groups across the sector.
The current members of the OVIN DEI Advisory Committee are:
- Andrew Harkness, Director of Dealer Network Development, Training & Corporate Strategy, Nissan Canada Inc.
- Aryan Habib, Co-Founder & Director, Empowering Auto
- Cheryl Thompson, Founder and CEO, Center for Automotive Diversity, Inclusion & Advancement (CADIA)
- Christopher Nabeta, Executive Chairman, Accelerate Auto and Director, OEM Sales and Strategy Canada, TD Auto Finance
- Katherine Mior, Co-Founder, Empowering Auto and Manager of Human Resources and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.
- Mary Robinson, Associate Dean Outreach, Equity & Diversity, Faculty of Engineering, University of Waterloo
- Shannon Spano, Vice President of Sales, Wakefield Canada
- Steven Majer, Vice President, Human Resources, Ford Motor Company Canada
- Tara Willis, Senior Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) & Philanthropy, Nissan Canada Inc.
“As Ontario continues to develop a fully-integrated end-to-end EV supply chain and create more good-paying jobs across the auto sector, it is important that we invest in the next generation of talent,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “We congratulate OVIN on the launch of their advisory committee and look forward to seeing their initiative further advance Ontario’s world-class workforce.”
Recognizing that the automotive and mobility sector is widely perceived to be lacking in representation from diverse populations, the OVIN DEI Advisory Committee represents a crucial first step in combatting barriers to meaningful employment that underrepresented groups face. Convened under OVIN’s Workforce Planning and Talent Strategy portfolio, the DEI Advisory Committee will support OVIN’s efforts to tap into Ontario’s highly skilled talent by providing expert insights into gaps and opportunities to prepare the future workforce for emerging careers in automotive and mobility.
“Generations of highly skilled talent across diverse backgrounds are proud to call Ontario home—a place where they have every opportunity to prepare for evolving skills needs and emerging careers in the automotive and mobility sector,” said Raed Kadri, Head of OVIN. “We are committed to harnessing the potential of the current and next generation of talent to drive the future of the sector through workforce development initiatives anchored on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
As a first step, the OVIN DEI Advisory Committee will provide guidance on OVIN’s workforce planning and talent strategies, programs, and technical platforms from a DEI lens, inform ways to collaborate with underrepresented communities to address community-specific barriers, and contribute to thought leadership initiatives. These expert insights will support OVIN in coordinating and further developing DEI-related initiatives and programs to promote increased equity, diversity, and inclusion in the automotive and mobility sector and foster generations of highly-skilled talent.
About the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) is the Government of Ontario’s flagship initiative on the future of advanced automotive technology and smart mobility solutions – including connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles, and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies. OVIN is led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), and supported by the Ministry of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, the Ministry of Transportation, and the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development. Through resources such as research and development (R&D) support, talent and skills development, technology acceleration, business and technical supports, and demonstration grounds, OVIN reinforces Ontario’s position as a global leader in the automotive and mobility sector. For more information visit: www.ovinhub.ca
For more information
Alicia Pereira
apereira@oc-innovation.ca
416-888-4088