General News

Province invests in establishing Regional Technology Development Sites

March 12, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

The Government of Ontario, through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), has announced an investment of $17.5 million to establish nine Regional Technology Development Sites (RTDS) across the province.

The RTDS of Simcoe County, Barrie, and Orillia has been launched as one of Ontario’s newest advanced automotive and smart mobility innovation hubs.

The RTDS is supported by a $1 million investment from OVIN, matched by almost $1.1 million in industry investments, $1 million from local government partners, and more than $600,000 from post-secondary and other non-profit partners, representing a total of $3.7 million.

The RTDS, which is led by the County of Simcoe in partnership with Invest Barrie and the City of Orillia, delivers a comprehensive suite of services through a strong network of regional partners and assets.

These partners include Georgian College, Lakehead University, Oro Station Innovation Park, Sandbox Centre, and Honda of Canada Mfg.

The County of Simcoe and the Cities of Barrie and Orillia are committed to exploring access to municipally owned assets to support SME testing and validation.

This includes roadways, transit buses, autonomous snow removal equipment, roundabouts, heavy machinery, and rail systems, offering highly controlled, real-world environments for product validation.

Simcoe County has a strong automotive legacy, with roughly 9,000 motor vehicle and parts manufacturing jobs and a growing automotive cluster.

The RTDS builds on this foundation by strengthening the region’s role in advanced manufacturing, automotive innovation, and smart mobility. It will drive job creation, attract investment, and train the next generation of skilled talent while supporting Ontario’s goals for electrification and clean mobility. By connecting SMEs with worldclass testing facilities, research expertise, and commercialization support, the RTDS will help keep Ontario a leading global hub for automotive and mobility technology.

“Simcoe County has a strong and proud history in the automotive sector. The establishment of the RTDS of Simcoe County, Barrie, and Orillia represents a significant opportunity to further strengthen our automotive supply chain, advance made-in-Simcoe County technologies, and secure future automotive investments,” said Simcoe County Warden, Basil Clarke. “OVIN’s support is essential as our region helps accelerate innovation and fuel growth across Ontario’s automotive and mobility ecosystem.”

The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network 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, including connected, autonomous, and electric and low-carbon vehicle technologies.

Through resources such as research and development 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.

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