New deal aims to advance cross-border transportation technologies between Ontario and Michigan
A new partnership between the governments of Ontario and Michigan seeks to advance cross-border transportation technologies.
The project will further develop automotive, transportation, and mobility technologies in order to “help people and goods move safely and efficiently across the border by land, air and water,” Vic Fedeli, the Ontario minister of economic development, job creation and trade, said in a news release Wednesday.
"This pioneering collaboration illustrates the combined strengths of Ontario and Michigan as innovation partners at the leading edge of electric, connected, autonomous and mobility technologies."
"This forward-looking approach is essential to ensure our region remains at the forefront of a global industry that is fiercely competitive and continually subject to the forces of technology disruption."
The new initiative builds on a previous collaboration between the governments who combined, account for over $60 billion in trade exports, and have previously established the first cross-border automated vehicle test drive in 2017.
"Ontario is proud to collaborate with our partners in Michigan as global leaders in automotive innovation," said Premier Doug Ford in the release.
"By breaking down barriers to cross-border business and further integrating our research, testing, and supply chains, we will unleash tremendous opportunity for the autotech sector in Ontario and Michigan."
The province’s role will be facilitated through the Autonomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN), a venture led by the Ontario Centre of Innovation that seeks to strengthen Ontario’s strong autonomous vehicle technologies industry.
The network is part of the government’s $85 million dollar ‘Driving Prosperity’ initiative which supports research and development in the sector.
The Ambassador Bridge between Windsor and Detroit is the most active border crossing in North America and accounts for more than 25 per cent of the $700 billion annual trade between the two countries.
"Michigan is continuing to lead the way in developing, testing and deploying the solutions that will drive the future of transportation and we are excited to partner with the AVIN team in Ontario to secure the Michigan-Ontario border as the place where cross-border innovations in transportation are born,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"Through collaborations like this, we can build on Michigan’s strength in automotive manufacturing while creating an environment for technology and mobility-related companies to thrive and grow."
Michigan’s role will be supported through the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and is a key component of the state’s evolving automotive sector.
Similar to Ontario’s AVIN, Whitmer created the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification which, according to the government website, works across state government, academia and private industry to enhance Michigan’s mobility ecosystem. This includes everything from developing dynamic mobility and electrification policies and supporting the start-up to the scale-up of emerging technologies and businesses.
"This collaboration with Ontario is an important acknowledgment of the importance of cross-border movement of goods and people as we work to build a stronger economy through safer, more equitable and environmentally conscious transportation here in Michigan," said Trevor Pawl, the chief mobility officer for the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification.
"Working together with our partners in Ontario, we can set the groundwork, and testbed, for cross-border transportation solutions that improve international crossing throughout the United States and Canada."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.