A new industry-academic partnership led by the University of Toronto's department of computer science will accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation electric vehicle (EV) and mobility technologies.
The Electric Vehicle Innovation Ontario (EVIO) project, launched in collaboration with seven other southern Ontario universities, will see 37 graduate students placed at 20 EV and mobility companies across the province, where they will work on challenges in battery chemistry, charging reliability, power electronics, mobility software, cold-weather performance and advanced manufacturing - areas critical to promoting EV adoption and strengthening Canada's competitiveness in the global electric mobility market.
Supported by a $2.5-million contribution from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario - and matched by industry and academic partners for a total program value of $7.9 million - EVIO is expected to generate over $30 million in economic activity while expanding research and development capacity and accelerating the creation of EV intellectual property in Canada.
"EVIO connects graduate researchers directly with industry, speeding up the development of advanced EV technologies while generating new IP and future economic growth for Canada," said Arvind Gupta, scientific director of EVIO and a professor of computer science in U of T's Faculty of Arts & Science. "This is exactly the kind of partnership that positions Canadian innovators to lead globally."
EVIO-supported projects will enable companies to scale innovations while providing master's students, PhD candidates and postdoctoral fellows with competitive compensation, hands-on experience and direct pathways into high-growth careers.
Evan Solomon, Canada's minister of artificial intelligence and digital innovation and minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, said clean technology is vital to bolstering 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 on Dec. 12.
Beyond U of T, EVIO's network of participating universities comprises Queen's University, Toronto Metropolitan University, University of Ottawa, University of Waterloo, University of Windsor, Western University and York University.
Trainees from these universities will be placed with an industry collaborator for at least eight months, where they will be tasked with tackling a specific innovation challenge while receiving mentorship from two experts - from industry and from academia - on commercial innovation, industrial R&D and techniques to create high-value commercial innovations with global market potential.
The EVIO project was announced at an event held at U of T's Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus on Friday, Dec. 12.
"By embedding top researchers directly inside firms, we are closing the gap between discovery and deployment," said Charmaine Dean, vice-president, research and international at the University of Waterloo and chair of the EVIO's steering committee. "This is how we accelerate commercialization, strengthen Ontario's EV ecosystem, and ensure Canada remains a competitive force in the global economy."
EVIO is modeled on internationally proven approaches including Germany's Fraunhofer Institutes and industrial doctoral training in the U.K., which have catalyzed breakthrough technologies across G7 economies for decades.
"Our companies are facing real technical and competitive pressures, and programs like this help bridge the resources they need to move ideas into the marketplace," said Paul Slaby, managing director of Canada's Semiconductor Council. "Just as importantly, it strengthens the talent pipeline - giving graduates meaningful industry experience and helping prepare the skilled workforce our sector needs for the years ahead."
