Tech Update: Markham and Vaughan to test new vehicles, and a breakthrough for solar power

The two cities will host demonstration zones for studying autonomous vehicles, EVs and robots in real-world settings

Thestar.com
July 28, 2023
Rebecca Gao

The streets of Markham and Vaughan are about to become testing grounds for new car, mobility and electric vehicle technologies. The provincial government has announced that the two municipalities will host new demonstration zones for the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network.

The $7.3-million project will enable Ontario’s small- and medium-sized companies to pilot automotive and mobility solutions in real-world settings. E-bikes and scooters, urban robots for delivery or street cleaning and autonomous vehicles are among the technologies that could be tested.

The cities will also identify specific transportation challenges they wish to tackle.

“It could be charging infrastructure for electric vehicles -- not just how we charge vehicles but how we might flip that to use vehicles to feed the grid when the demand is high,” says Chris Rickett, the City of Markham’s director of economic development and culture. “Or things like software and sensors that help us better manage traffic and various modes of traffic.”

In Markham, the testing zone is expected to encompass an area around Unionville Go station near the future York University campus, and in Vaughan it will likely be around the Metropolitan Centre, the current terminus of the TTC’s Line 1. Residents in the neighbourhoods will be informed that they’re in a demonstration zone and committees of community members and experts will be set up to help represent the public interest when implementing pilot programs.

New solar panels move a step closer
Researchers, including a team at the University of Toronto, have made a breakthrough in developing a new type of solar panel. Engineers are interested in creating panels that use a crystal called perovskite instead of silicon as it is cheaper and more efficient.

But heat and humidity can cause them to become unstable. The scientists found that by adding a special coating the new cells could withstand temperatures of 85C for more than 1,500 hours -- three times longer than previous attempts.

Sampler acquires AdMass
Sampler, which matches packaged-goods companies with customers looking to receive personalized samples, has acquired another Toronto startup, AdMass. The acquisition is Sampler’s second this year and the company says it will accelerate its growth by allowing users to make content based on their sampled products.

Kingston clean energy project gains support
Utilities Kingston has backed plans by Toronto’s Hydrostor to build a clean energy storage system in the area. The facility, which stores energy using compressed air, would be part of the proposed Quinte Energy Storage Centre and would store 500 megawatts of electricity for use during peak demand.

First cohort of the feds’ hypergrowth program selected
The federal government will provide targeted support to eight companies in a new program designed to create the next mainstays of the Canadian economy. Companies selected include AI customer service platform Ada, software provider Clio, Montreal’s Lightspeed, medical imaging company Clarius, and precision agriculture firm Vive Crop Protection. The eight ventures will receive help with hiring, increasing exports, bidding on public contracts and meeting regulatory requirements.

By the numbers
733 per cent: The rise in venture capital investment in Toronto and British Columbia in Q2 over Q1.

$2.35 million: The amount Toronto startup Metafold 3D has secured as seed funding for its design software company.

63,800: The number of tech jobs Toronto created between 2017 and 2022. It is rated the fifth best city for tech talent in North America, according to a new report from CBRE.

$6.2 million: The amount five Toronto tech ventures will share from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. The companies are Aux Mode, Creyos Health, Manifest Climate, Semantic Health and ThinkData Works, and the government says the money should create 70 jobs.

$60 million (US): The amount Ottawa-based MindBridge has raised for its AI-powered financial audits platform.