New province-led automotive technology initiative opens in Kingston

The Kingston and Eastern Ontario Regional Technology Development Site will see the next generation automotive and mobility technology be developed.

Another industry is setting up shop in Kingston.

The Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network officially announced on Friday that a new Regional Technology Development Site is opening up at the Modern Niagara building off Princess St.

The Kingston and Eastern Ontario RTDS, also known as Fuse, will develop the next-generation of automotive and mobility technologies.

The company is receiving $2 million from the province through the OVIN, that is being matched by $4 million in industry investment and $3 million in broader public sector support for a total of $9 million.

In a news release from the Kingston Economic Development Corporation, Fuse will support Ontario-based small-to-medium-sized businesses with specialized infrastructure, equipment, funding, and expertise to accelerate the development and commercialization of advanced materials for automotive and smart mobility sectors. They say this will bridge the critical gap between laboratory research and industrial-scale production.

The Kingston and Eastern Ontario RTDS is one of nine across Ontario. It is built on five key pillars designed to accelerate technology commercialization such as physical Infrastructure, technology development & validation fund, pathway to commercialization & advisory services,  business advisory & mentorship, and innovation & ecosystem summits. 

It is a collaborative partnership between KEDCO and technical partners RXN HUB, Impact Chemistry, Kingston Process Metallurgy, Modern Niagara, Celanese Polymer Products Canada, Qnity Electronics, Nanofabrication Kingston, Launch Lab, Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium and Kingston Metals & Materials. 

Story by Ken Hashizume