Vaughan welcomes Ontario Auto Mayors
City continues to strengthen Vaughan’s thriving automotive sector
Marking the 10th anniversary of the first meeting of the Ontario Auto Mayors, the City of Vaughan hosted the second 2023 Ontario Auto Mayors Caucus at Vaughan City Hall on Nov. 3, drawing attendees and sector leaders from across the province.
Members attended an in-person meeting of the municipal advocacy group to discuss the latest updates and trends in the automotive industry. Chaired by Town of Oakville Mayor Rob Burton and hosted by City of Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca, the group included representatives from 31 Ontario municipalities, Ontario’s original equipment manufacturers and automotive industry associations.
The meeting began with a welcome from Brendan Sweeney of the Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing, followed by an update from Gian Paolo Vescio of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. Earl Provost, Ontario Agent-General in Chicago, discussed trade relations and opportunities between Ontario and the Midwestern United States.
The remainder of the meeting centred around four strategic areas outlined in the recently approved Auto Mayors 2023 Action Plan (PDF), including competitive manufacturing taxes, highly skilled and diverse talent, electric vehicle adoption and technology and combating automotive theft. The Ontario Auto Mayors will work collaboratively with both the provincial and federal governments to promote awareness of these key priorities.
About Vaughan’s automotive sector
As the largest economic driver in York Region, Vaughan has a flourishing automotive sector anchored by many globally recognized tier 1 suppliers. The automotive sector in Vaughan makes up a significant part of the advanced manufacturing cluster in the city, which contributed $4 billion in real gross domestic product to Vaughan’s economy in 2022. Vaughan is home to more than 660 sector-related businesses employing nearly 14,000 people.
Vaughan-based automotive businesses benefit from access to a robust and skilled workforce force, including a highly educated population (with 73 per cent of residents aged 25 and older holding a post-secondary education), a talent pool of nearly 84,000 STEM students and a labour force of 3.9 million within a one-hour drive. Vaughan’s unparalleled location also offers proximity to key automotive assembly plants and access to the city’s emerging business-to-consumer electric vehicle cluster located at Weston Road and Highway 7, boasting significant industry leaders.
To learn more about the Ontario Auto Mayors initiative or to discover how Vaughan is an ideal location for your automotive business, visit vaughanbusiness.ca/auto.
QUOTES
“The City of Vaughan was pleased to host the Ontario Auto Mayors last week to collaborate and share the latest updates and trends in the automotive industry. I want to extend my appreciation to Oakville Mayor Rob Burton, who is the Chair of the Ontario Auto Mayors, for leading us through critical discussions on a range of important topics, including electric vehicle adoption and technology and combating automotive theft.As the economic engine of Canada’s largest independent automotive parts and electronic parts manufacturing cluster, Vaughan is committed to fostering innovation and building a culture of continuous improvement. Our efforts to strengthen our automotive sector underscore our commitment to supporting the businesses that make this industry what it is today: one of our most economically vital. As a proud member of the Ontario Auto Mayors, I recognize that we’re stronger together, and together, we’re making a meaningful difference for the economies of Vaughan, Ontario and Canada.”
- Mayor Steven Del Duca, City of Vaughan
“The 10th anniversary of the Ontario Auto Mayors is a remarkable milestone that highlights a decade of collaborative effort and achievement for Ontario’s world-leading auto assembly industry and supply chain. Together, we have navigated challenges and seized opportunities, ensuring Ontario remains at the forefront of the automotive industry in North America and across the globe.”
- Mayor Rob Burton, Town of Oakville and Chair, Ontario Auto Mayors
QUICK FACTS
The City of Vaughan hosted the Ontario Auto Mayors Caucus on Nov. 3 at Vaughan City Hall.
The members of the Ontario Auto Mayors work collaboratively with the provincial and federal governments to promote awareness, advocacy and strategic policy initiatives to further strengthen the Canadian economy through advancements and investments in the automotive sector.
Members provided updates on the Auto Mayors 2023 Action Plan as approved by the Ontario Auto Mayors in May 2023, which includes a strategic focus on supporting the industry’s transition to electric vehicles, as well as advocating for a coordinated government response to address rising vehicle thefts.
In January 2023, Vaughan became the newest member of the Ontario Auto Mayors to continue to advocate to the provincial and federal governments for the automotive sector in Ontario and Vaughan.
Vaughan will be the future host city of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association conference in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
LEARN MORE
- Ontario Auto Mayors website
- Ontario Auto Mayors 2023 Action Plan (PDF)
- City of Vaughan’s Economic Development Automotive Sector webpage
- City of Vaughan’s Transportation Innovation Program webpage
- City of Vaughan’s Economic Development website
- City of Vaughan’s Economic Development department’s eNewsletter
