The program, launched by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) engaged over 700 students across the province, connecting post-secondary talent with industry leaders to solve real-world challenges in the automotive and mobility sector.
(Toronto, ON – June 27, 2025) – Ontario is preparing its future automotive and mobility workforce by bridging the gap between postsecondary talent and industry. Recently launched by the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), the Automotive Innovation Challenge Program (AIC) engaged over 700 students in hands-on challenges. Supported by over $1.2 million in funding, including over $500,000 from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD) and over $700,000 in matching industry contributions, these students tackled over 12 targeted challenges. Through these challenges, students applied their skills to real-world problems, such as leveraging artificial intelligence in manufacturing, creating standardized training frameworks, and enhancing operational efficiency in Ontario’s automotive and mobility sector.
Recognizing that the success of Ontario’s automotive and mobility sector relies on its ability to adapt to evolving demands and cultivate a more diverse, inclusive, and highly skilled talent pool, this first-of-its-kind program provided students with an inside look at how decisions are made in industry environments and tackle real-world problems alongside their peers. Through the program, students worked directly with industry professionals to apply their technical skills and gain firsthand insight into current sector needs. For employers, it was an opportunity to engage top talent early on and empower the next generation of innovators.
“Ontario is the second-largest vehicle-producing jurisdiction in North America, and through the Automotive Innovation Challenge program, we’re building the workforce that will take that leadership to new heights,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “By collaborating with Ontario’s top industry and academic leaders, students are gaining the skills to uphold our legacy of Made-in-Ontario quality, innovation, and ingenuity.”
Participants took part in a wide range of experiential learning activities, including hackathons, innovation sprints, and site visits with industry partners. These experiences gave students the opportunity to explore complex sector challenges for enhancing operational efficiency and sector competitiveness. The program offered meaningful opportunities to connect students directly with automotive employers and explore potential career pathways — all while contributing innovative, student-led solutions to real-world problems that industry is facing.
“Ontario’s young people are in the driver’s seat of the automotive and mobility sector, with boundless potential to shape its future and catalyze a renewed era of growth,” said Raed Kadri, Head of OVIN. “By enriching their learning with hands-on experiences and opportunities to tackle real-world challenges, we are not only bridging gaps between academia and industry, but we are building a future-ready workforce and advancing solutions that will strengthen our global competitiveness for decades to come.”
Spotlight on Collaboration:
The Automotive Innovation Challenge was delivered by the following post-secondary institutions and their industry partners:
• Centennial College, partnering with ABC Technologies
• Georgian College, partnering with Honda of Canada Manufacturing
• Western University, partnering with General Motors of Canada
• York University, partnering with the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA), Kevares Autonomous Services, Kiwi Charge Inc., RideAlike, Deaf AI, Quantuity Analytics Inc., Hop In Technologies, SCOOTY, MyRide901, Carity Inc, Real Life Robotics, DLVR Electric Inc, Cogito Capital
• Ontario Tech University, partnering with Magna International and Toyota Canada Inc., LeddarTech.
“The Automotive Innovation Challenge is a powerful example of how Ontario is connecting talent to opportunity and giving students a front-row seat to the innovation shaping our mobility future,” said Claudia Krywiak, President and CEO, Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI). “By bringing post-secondary learners and industry together to solve real-world problems, we’re not just building a stronger workforce, we’re accelerating the growth of Ontario-made solutions that will drive global leadership in automotive innovation.”
With strategic investments and collaborative efforts aimed at engaging talent early and promoting diversity and inclusion, Ontario’s automotive and mobility sector, through OVIN, is poised to chart a course towards sustained growth and global leadership. Learn more: https://www.ovinhub.ca/programs/automotive-innovation-challenge/
About the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) is an initiative of the Government of Ontario, led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI), designed to reinforce Ontario’s position as a North American leader in advanced automotive technology and smart mobility solutions such as connected vehicles, autonomous vehicles and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies.
Through resources such as research and development (R&D) support, talent and skills development, technology acceleration, business and technical supports, and demonstration grounds, OVIN provides a competitive advantage to Ontario-made automotive and mobility technology companies.
For more information: https://www.ovinhub.ca
Media Inquiries
Alicia Pereira, apereira@oc-innovation.ca