Regional Technology Development Sites
Leveraging Ontario’s clusters of innovation and its regional strengths and capabilities, SMEs can develop, test and prototype their advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions, and tap into specific advice, expertise, and knowledge around key focus areas for the sector.
Overview
As Ontario’s flagship initiative for the automotive and mobility sector, OVIN, the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network, is driving economic development and catalyzing a future that builds safer, cleaner, and more efficient transportation.
The Regional Technology Development Sites (RTDS) support SMEs to develop, test and prototype their advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions, and tap into specific advice, expertise and knowledge around key focus areas for the sector.
The seven Regional Technology Development Sites (RTDS), are located in Waterloo, Ottawa, Hamilton, Durham, Windsor-Essex, Toronto and the newly added Northern RTDS that includes Greater Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Timmins, Temiskaming Shores, Sault Ste. Marie and North Bay, carry out the following activities:
- Enable physical sites across the regions that bring together post-secondary institutions, regional innovation centres, incubators/accelerators, municipal and regional resources, industry and other regional collaborators to support SMEs in the development, testing, prototyping, validation and commercialization of automotive technology and smart mobility solutions
- Provide access to specialized equipment, hardware and software that will reduce the barriers to innovation for start-ups and SMEs in the automotive and mobility sector, including those developing electric vehicle and battery-related technologies
- Provide business and/or technical advisory services to start-ups and SMEs to assist in the commercialization of technologies developed at the regional sites
- Support regional testing and piloting of technologies and solutions that will lead to adoption and deployment
Each regional site focuses on a unique aspect of the automotive and smart mobility sector, such as hardware, security, data analytics and more.
Who can engage?
- Participants (defined as SMEs having fewer than 500 full-time employees) and partners (defined as organizations providing in-kind and/or cash contributions to the project) with operations in Ontario and those who will carry out their projects in the province
- Typical project activities include technology development, product/service validation, testing, proof of concept and demonstration
- Participants and respective partners will have the opportunity to be showcased at OVIN events
Programs and services
Each regional technology development site offers access to physical space, tools and resources, as well as business and technical advisory support.
Contact: info@durhamrtds.ca
Location: Spark Centre, 2 Simcoe St S #300, Oshawa, ON
Website
Key Areas:
Electric Vehicles, Smart Mobility, Smart Communications, Smart Transportation, Sandbox
Durham Region RTDS
The Durham Regional technology Development Site (or Durham RTDs for short) is a high-calibre collective of post-secondary institutions, R&D and testing facilities, regional innovation centres, municipalities and regional partners in the Durham Region that collaborate to foster the development, production, and application of electric and smart mobilities solutions to be adopted by Canadian and global communities.
Durham RTDS comprises Spark Centre, Durham College’s Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE), Ontario Tech University and its ACE Climate Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel, and the Regional Municipality of Durham (Invest Durham). This consortium provides startups and SMEs with world-class support – like access to specialized equipment, hardware and software, business and technical advisory services, and access to funding – to develop and test their innovation in real-world environments and advance them to commercialization and community adoption.
As part of its mission, Durham RTDS launches calls for solutions to startups and SMEs for regional transportation challenges. Successful challenge participants receive significant benefits, prime for accelerating their innovation to market, including the opportunity to pilot their solutions in Durham Regional utilizing Regional infrastructure.
Contact: richard.dunda@citm.ca
Location: Innovation Factory, 175 Longwood Rd S Suite B21, Hamilton, ON
Website
Key Areas:
EV, Alternative powertrain technology, Hydrogen Energy, CAV, Smart Transportation Infrastructure,
Transportation-as-a-service Solutions
Hamilton RTDS
The Centre for Integrated Transportation and Mobility (CITM) provides specialized support to help your start-up develop your technology, find product-market fit, conduct pilot projects, connect with investors and more. We’re here to help your start-up develop, test, validate, launch or scale your innovation. You can access leading edge business development and technical resources to support product development and testing including our own 4G/5G private wireless with network with an array of specialized sensors including RADAR, LIDAR, environmental sensors as well as high-definition video cameras and V2X communications. CITM also offers a DataStor of all the data gathered from the sensors on our network as well as exclusive 3rd party data, including data from Disney ‘back-of-house traffic & logistics’. In early 2023, CITM is adding a Virtual Reality room and simulation technology to deepen the test and development resources we offer to our start-up clients. All services and programs are available at no cost to clients thanks to our funders and partners.
Contact: core5@norcat.org
Location: NORCAT
1545 Maley Dr, Sudbury, ON
Website
Key Areas:
Critical Mineral, Mineral Exploration, Mining, BEV, EV
Northern RTDS
At CORE5, we are committed to supporting the growth and success of businesses across Northern Ontario. Whether you are located in the farthest reaches of the region or in one of its bustling cities, we have the resources and expertise to help you innovate and succeed. Our collective of R&D centers, testing facilities, academic institutions, and municipalities provide unparalleled resources for testing, prototyping, and commercializing technologies. From cutting-edge equipment to expert services, CORE5 is your go-to destination for BEV and EV technology development and validation. No matter what region you’re in, you will have access to cutting-edge resources to help you bring your innovative ideas to life. With over 70,000 square feet of R&D space, 26+ industry partners, Access to over 3KM of underground mines for testing and demonstration, State-of-the-art R&D and testing equipment, and more! The OVIN NRTDS offers you everything you need to drive your projects to commercialization.
Contact: areaxo@investottawa.ca
Location: Invest Ottawa
1740 Woodroffe Ave, Ottawa ON K2G 3R8
Website
Key Areas:
Research and Development, Smart Mobility, Defence and Security, Drones, Smart agriculture
Ottawa RTDS
Area X.O is the R&D complex in Canada’s Capital that enables and accelerates the safe and secure development, testing, and application of next-generation smart mobility, autonomy and connectivity technologies. Combining diverse expertise with Ottawa’s telecom and cybersecurity strengths as a tech hub, Area X.O helps local, national, and global startups, SMEs, multinationals, and governments address grand challenges and opportunities. It fuels the creation, commercialization, and adoption of breakthrough innovations that benefit our community, economy and environment. These applications span telecom; smart agriculture; defence, security, and public safety; unmanned aerial vehicles; and smart cities. Established and managed by Invest Ottawa and evolving from the Ottawa L5 Connected and Autonomous Vehicle Test Facility, Area X.O leverages critical support from world-class founding partners. These include: the Government of Canada (FedDev Ontario and the National Capital Commission), the Government of Ontario, the City of Ottawa, Accenture, BlackBerry QNX, Ericsson, Microsoft, Nokia, and Ottawa’s post-secondary institutions.
Contact: hci@ventureLAB.ca
Location: ventureLAB
3600 Steeles Ave E, Markham, ON
Website
Key Areas:
Hardware & Semiconductor, Enterprise Software & AI, MedTech, Advanced Manufacturing, Automobility
Toronto RTDS
ventureLAB is a leading global founder community for hardware technology and enterprise software companies, led by seasoned entrepreneurs and business leaders with decades of industry experience. The Hardware Catalyst Initiative provides direct resources to accelerate commercialization at scale through our initiatives focused on four pillars: raising capital, retaining talent, commercializing technology and IP, and customer acquisition. Our team of talented advisors and expert partner ecosystem will grow your business develop and the Hardware Lab will incubate your hardware technology solutions.
Contact: smartto@yorku.ca
Location: 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON M3J1P
Website
Key Areas:
Smart Materials, Light-weighting, Smart Mobility, Connectivity, Reliability
Toronto RTDS
Smart Mobility Applied Research and Testing-Toronto (SmartTO) is OVIN’s newest transportation and mobility hub led by York University in partnership with Centennial College. SmartTO empowers startups and SMEs to develop, test and prototype advanced automotive technologies and smart mobility solutions through accessing state of the-art equipment, innovative labs and research centres, world-renowned expertise, and concierge-style business advisory and technical services. SmartTO combines the power of research expertise, engineering, and unrivalled access to vehicles, facilities, and expert technicians through Centennial College’s School of Transportation, Canada’s largest transportation training facility, and several areas of York University including the Office of the Vice-President Research & Innovation, the Lassonde School of Engineering with its Mobility Innovation Centre (MOVE), Manufacturing, Technology, and Entrepreneurship Centre (MTEC) and Mechanical Engineering Department, York MicroFabrication Facility, the Centre for AI and Society, Electrical Engineering Facilities and YSpace – York’s pan-university entrepreneurship and innovation hub.
Contact: alayne.hynes@communitech.ca
Location: Communitech
151 Charles St W #100, Kitchener, ON
Website
Key Areas:
Vision Zero, Mobility, Transportation, Autonomous, Data Science
Waterloo RTDS
As a Regional Technology Development Site (RTDS) on the OVIN network, Communitech in partnership with the University of Waterloo is focused on the advancement of the development of vehicle safety systems through the lens of Vision Zero. OVIN at Communitech works with founders to provide access to resources and tools to accelerate the development and commercialization of next generation electric, connected and autonomous vehicle and mobility technologies, as well as those building/using a solutions to reduce the number of traffic related fatalities/significant injuries (i.e. Vision Zero).
Along with a variety of business mentorship, data growth coaching and training options, we provide access to data science experts who can clean, organize, label and transform data to help startups fuel their AI and machine-learning innovations through our flagship Data Wrangling Service. SMEs can also access a variety of technology platforms to accelerate their innovation, including HD Mapping and 5G platforms.
Contact:
edawson@investwindsoressex.com
Location: Invest WindsorEssex
Automobility and Innovation Centre, 3475 Wheelton Drive, ON
Website
Key Areas:
Advanced Simulation Testing, Virtual Reality, Digital Twinning, Digital Test Tracks, Cross-border Simulation Testing, Automobility CyberSecurity
Windsor-Essex RTDS
The Windsor-Essex Regional Technology Development Site (WE RTDS) provides free programs and services to companies working in automobility (AutoTech). The resources range from products, services and software to assist with R&D, business development and mentorship. All participants will have access to the WE RTDS technical team to help them achieve higher technology readiness levels. The WE RTDS specializes in advanced simulation, virtual reality, cross-border simulation testing and automotive cybersecurity. The WE RTDS has three pillars of programs available for Ontario-based small and medium-sized enterprises. Within the pillars, companies have free access to Canada’s largest publicly accessible VR Cave to help them with proof of concept, product development and visualization. The programs are offered in collaboration with partners from the public and private sectors.