(Toronto, ON—February 16, 2024) Today, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), Ontario’s flagship initiative for the automotive and mobility sector, highlighted the province’s successes in accelerating the shift to electrification as it opened this year’s Canadian International AutoShow with the first OVIN Speakers Series. Led by Todd Smith, Ontario’s Minister of Energy and featuring automotive industry leaders, the inaugural OVIN Speakers Series sparked a celebration of Ontario’s visionary leadership in the global EV transition and crucial conversations on the future of the sector.
“As the number of EV owners in Ontario continues to grow, our government is making it easier to put shovels in the ground to build the critical infrastructure needed for drivers to charge their vehicles where and when they need to,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “This is just another step we are taking to reduce red tape, increase EV adoption, and use our clean electricity supply to support the electrification of Ontario’s transportation sector.”
At the event, Minister Smith unveiled the new EV Charging Connections Procedures, a landmark initiative of the Ontario Energy Board that establishes the groundwork for enabling and accelerating adoption of electric vehicles. With key benefits such as streamlined connections across utilities in the province, increased access to EV chargers, and the alleviation of range anxiety commonly experienced by drivers, the new Procedures are a crucial step towards Ontario’s shift to electrification and reinforcing the province’s position as the global leader in the EV revolution.
“Our government’s targeted and responsible plan has ensured Ontario’s position as a global EV leader,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “As a result of Ontario’s progress, Bloomberg now ranks Canada as home to the world’s number 1 EV battery supply chain, dethroning China for the first time in four years.”
Building on Minister Smith’s announcement, the OVIN Speakers Series featured expert insights on the progress of electrification in Ontario and across Canada, the impact of historic investments in Ontario’s automotive sector, and current and future trends in innovation that are driving the accelerating EV transition. These insights were shared through keynote presentations by David Adams, President, Global Automakers of Canada; Chris Reed, Regional Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Nissan Americas; and Lauren Tedesco, Senior Vice President, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association; as well as through a fireside chat with GM Canada featuring Allison Cooperman, Director, Canadian Technical Centre Operations and Sarah Goldfeder.
“The OVIN Speakers Series is a reflection of the work we do everyday—bringing together government, industry leaders, and innovators across the province to drive Ontario’s leadership on the globe stage,” said Raed Kadri, Head of OVIN. “We were honoured to be joined by Minister Smith and the biggest players in Ontario’s automotive sector to discover the latest frontiers in the shift to electrification and highlight how the province is leading the charge in this global revolution. This event will no doubt spark the next wave of innovation that will drive Ontario towards an electrified future.”
Hosted on Industry Day of the AutoShow, the OVIN Speakers Series also fostered vital connections between original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), major industry players, Ontario small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), postsecondary institutions, public sector, and other automotive and mobility stakeholders in attendance through networking opportunities and a showcase of Ontario-made innovations on display at the OVIN Zone.
With the conclusion of the OVIN Speakers Series, the 2024 Canadian International AutoShow is now open to the public until February 25th. Over the next ten days, the OVIN Zone, located in Electric City, features Project Arrow, the first all-Canadian, zero-emission vehicle (ZEV), as well as electric, autonomous, and connected vehicle technologies from Ontario companies, including Betterfrost Technologies, Miovision, NuPort AI, SWTCH Energy, Myant, and SARIT. For tickets to the AutoShow, visit https://autoshow.ca/.
About the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN)
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: www.ovinhub.ca
For more information:
Alicia Pereira, Director, Communications
apereira@oc-innovation.ca