KITCHENER, ONT., January 31, 2023 — Today, Communitech and the University Of Waterloo welcomed Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade to celebrate the renewal of their joint partnership with the Government of Ontario through the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN). 

With this initiative, founders working with Communitech and the University of Waterloo will have access to resources and tools to accelerate the development and commercialization of next generation electric, connected and autonomous vehicle and mobility technologies.

“As a result of this strong partnership between Communitech and the University of Waterloo, founders in our networks have the valuable support needed to build autonomous, electric and connected vehicle products that align to our organization’s steadfast commitment to Tech For Good,” said Chris Albinson, CEO and president at Communitech.

The renewal of this three-year partnership includes an updated mandate for regional technology development sites (RTDS). In late 2021, the Ontario Centre for Innovation expanded the scope of this provincial program to include a focus on the electrification of vehicle technology in addition to autonomous and connected mobility technologies. With this update, Communitech and the University of Waterloo have aligned their programming support with Vision Zero, a growing global initiative working towards eliminating traffic fatalities and severe injuries, while increasing safe, healthy and equitable mobility for all.

“This development program focuses a leading team of faculty research engineers and Ontario industry partners to design vehicle safety systems that will support the province’s evolving vehicle ecosystem and ensure safe mobility for all,” said Mary Wells, dean of engineering, University of Waterloo.

As the government of 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 program’s seven 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. Each regional site focuses on a unique aspect of the automotive and smart mobility sector, such as hardware, security, data analytics and more.

For additional information on this programming offered through Communitech and the University of Waterloo, please visit: communitech.ca/future-facing/platforms/ovin-at-communitech/.

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For media inquiries, please contact:

Candace Beres

Director, Strategic Communications

candace.beres@communitech.ca

About Communitech:

Established in 1997 in Waterloo Region, Communitech was built by tech founders who saw the need for a community of support to help ensure the future prosperity of Canada. Today, Communitech is Canada’s leading innovation hub, supporting a community of more than 1,200 founders by providing accelerated opportunities to access talent, capital and sales. 

As Canada’s tech supercharger, Communitech helps founders start, grow and succeed by:

• Hiring and retaining the smartest, brightest and most experienced people
• Accessing growth financing at every stage
• Selling to the biggest customers at home and around the world
• Connecting the right people at the right time – peers who have been there before, coaches who can guide them through the difficult spots and partners from all over Canada

About the University of Waterloo:

University of Waterloo is a leading global innovation hub that drives economic and social prosperity for Canada and the world. With more than 41,000 students, we are home to the world's largest co-op education talent pipeline, to game-changing research and technology, and to an unmatched entrepreneurial culture. Together, these create partnerships and

solutions to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.

About the Ontario Centre for Innovation:

The Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) brings industry, academic, and government partners together to invest in collaborative R&D, technology development, and commercialization opportunities that generate the highest return on innovation for Ontarians.

As an ecosystem connector, OCI initiates unparalleled partnership opportunities, develops and manages successful industry-academic collaborations, supports high-potential SMEs in commercializing ground-breaking research, and provides hands-on training and skills development opportunities for the next generation of highly-skilled talent.

OCI drives economic growth and job creation through investments in the development, commercialization, and adoption of advanced technologies.

For more information: https://www.oc-innovation.ca