Toronto, Ontario -- A new industry-academic partnership led by the University of Toronto’s Department of Computer Science aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation electric vehicle and mobility technologies across Ontario.
The Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario project brings together eight southern Ontario universities and 20 EV and mobility companies, placing 37 graduate students directly into industry settings to tackle challenges tied to battery chemistry, charging reliability, power electronics, mobility software, cold-weather performance and advanced manufacturing.
Backed by a $2.5-million contribution from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario and matched by industry partners, the program carries a total value of $7.9 million. Organizers expect EVIO to generate more than $30 million in economic activity while expanding Canada’s EV research and development capacity and accelerating the creation of domestic intellectual property.
Evan Solomon, Canada’s minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation and minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, described clean technology as central to Canada’s economic future.
“Through this investment in University of Toronto’s Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario, we are backing Canadian ingenuity to grow a world-class EV supply chain, strengthen our competitive advantage and create good, meaningful jobs,” Solomon said in a statement.
Projects supported through EVIO are designed to help companies scale emerging technologies while providing master’s students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows with paid, hands-on experience and clearer pathways into high-growth careers.
Alongside the University of Toronto, other institutions participating in the program include Queen’s University, Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of Ottawa, the University of Waterloo, the University of Windsor, Western University and York University. Trainees will be embedded with industry collaborators for a minimum of eight months and mentored by both academic and industry experts.
