Vaughan Demonstrations

In 2023, Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN) selected the City of Vaughan and the City of Markham as the successful co-recipients to receive a $2.5 million grant over a two-year period to launch a new OVIN Demonstration Zone program.

The OVIN Demonstration Zone positions the city as a testbed and offers digital and physical city infrastructure and spaces for companies to demonstrate and showcase their mobility solutions. Technology demonstrations are conducted in a real-world environment to address transportation and mobility challenges, while offering the public a unique opportunity to learn and engage with emerging solutions.

Led by the City of Markham and the City of Vaughan, the OVIN Demonstration Zone is part of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network’s (OVIN) ecosystem of innovative clusters operating around the province.

The OVIN Demonstration Zone will feature a group of companies, primarily small to medium-sized companies and startups that are at the forefront of developing innovative and emerging automotive and mobility solutions. The demonstration projects cover a wide range of technologies with a focus on electric vehicle technologies, shared and integrated mobility solutions, robotics and automated micro-mobility utility devices, smart traffic, smart intersection and smart city solutions, connected and autonomous (CAV) solutions, and first mile, last mile, and transit solutions.

Demonstrations for this cohort are set to take place throughout the city between October 2024 to January 2025. The exact duration of each project varies based on the complexity and type of technology being tested. For more information on each demonstration project, visit the project information page. 

The City of Vaughan recognizes the importance of proactively testing next generation transportation solutions to evaluate their for effectiveness, safety, accessibility and privacy, before they are widely adopted. By conducting live, limited-time demonstrations through the OVIN Demonstration Zone program, the city can assess these emerging technologies in real-world operational environments. This allows for a comprehensive understanding of the technology’s potential benefits and impacts, enabling informed decision-making and future policy development.

Safety is a top priority. All demonstrations are conducted in accordance with municipal laws and regulations. Each project undergoes a thorough third-party technical assessment, and emergency response plans are developed to ensure the safety of all participants.

The goals of the demonstration zone are to provide companies with an opportunity to test and demonstrate their smart mobility technologies in an operational environment, and to assess these technologies for their potential benefit to the transportation system.

The OVIN Demonstration Zone provides companies real-world environments to test and demonstrate automotive and smart mobility solutions, including electric vehicle technologies, shared and integrated mobility solutions, robotics, and connected and autonomous vehicle technologies. By leveraging access to city assets and infrastructure, as well as municipal support and stakeholder feedback, companies can validate and further refine their solutions to address current and future mobility challenges.

The demonstrations are being conducted across the entire City of Vaughan. Specific demonstration locations can be found under their project information page. 

Companies were selected through an open application process. Each application was thoroughly evaluated using standardized scorecards on:

 • Company eligibility and demonstration project feasibility 

 • Alignment with the cities’ transportation or challenge area objectives

 • Uniqueness of the solution

 • Technology maturity level and compliance with risk protections including privacy, security, and liability insurance

 • Alignment and support from project stakeholders

Funding is not provided for companies to demonstrate their solution. Companies are encouraged to access other provincial or federal funding programs. The City of Vaughan provides access to assets infrastructure and logistical support to enable the demonstration project.

For additional questions, concerns, or feedback, you can reach out our team at the City of Vaughan.

OVIN Demonstration Zone team: 
Darcie Hagan, Demonstration Zone Associate 

905-832-2281 ext. 8959 | Darcie.Hagan@vaughan.ca  

Media Contact: 
Cassandra Cleveland, Communications Advisor (Economic Development)

Communications, Marketing and Engagement Department 

647-226-0443 | Cassandra.Cleveland@vaughan.ca