A coalition of advanced manufacturing and technology companies and public-sector entities from the Toronto-Hamilton-Waterloo Corridor is among five “superclusters” that will share $950 million in federal funding designed to drive economic growth and innovation.

Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Navdeep Bains announced the winners of a months-long bidding process Thursday in Ottawa. The nearly billion-dollar initiative, which attracted 50 bids from across Canada and included hundreds of companies, as well as universities and public-private entities such as Communitech and Toronto’s MaRS, was outlined in last year’s federal budget. Nine finalists were announced last fall, with five of the nine emerging as winners. Each of the five will receive up to $250 million in funding.

The Toronto-Hamilton-Waterloo corridor bid, a coalition of 140 partners that included University of Waterloo, Communitech, and Waterloo Region companies such as Miovision, was led by Guelph-based auto parts manufacturer Linamar Corp.

“The Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster presents a tremendous opportunity to bring the twin strengths of Canada’s manufacturing and technology sectors together to create sustained growth,” said Linamar  CEO Linda Hasenfratz.

Hasenfratz has been named chair of newly incorporated Next Generation Manufacturing (NGM) Canada, the entity that will spearhead implementation of the funding and will facilitate ecosystem activities, partnerships and collaboration among members.

“NGM Canada will support collaborative, industry-led projects, as well

as support the creation of new tools, testbeds and infrastructure to help create the next generation of manufacturing firms,” Hasenfratz said.

Jayson Myers, former head of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, has been named the CEO of NGM Canada.

Two of the winning bids – including the one from NGM Canada and another based in Quebec that will focus on an artificial intelligence powered supply chain supercluster, were backed by the University of Waterloo.

Other winners included:

    • a B.C.-based digital technology supercluster;
    • an Atlantic-Canada based ocean supercluster;
    • a Saskatchewan-led protein innovations supercluster focused on agriculture.


It’s expected that NGM Canada will create new opportunities for thousands of Canadians employed in key industry segments like automotive, steel production, wood products, food and beverage production, microelectronics, and information and communications technologies.

“Today’s announcement is reflective of what can be achieved through the power of collaboration when not-for-profit organizations like Communitech, academic institutions like the University of Waterloo, and companies like Linamar come together and are supported by their local government partners,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic.

“This news is a significant vote of confidence in not only what we are doing in Waterloo Region but what we are trying to achieve through our collaboration within the broader Toronto-Waterloo Region corridor.”