How Durham Region innovators have been a leaders since the 1800s
Durham Region remains poised to be a leader in innovation for tomorrow, just as they have been since the beginning.
As classic manufacturing meets emerging technology, many municipalities aim showcase their economic strength by boasting their innovative potential. Few areas, however, can match the track record of Durham Region in the Greater Toronto Area. Its impressive history of innovative interrogation is one that can
be tracked through its milestones throughout the years.
On paper, Durham’s track record of forward thinking started in 1864, when Colonel Robert “Sam” Mclaughlin first launched his business devoted to the creation of horse-drawn sleighs and carriages. Starting with a single factory, Mclaughlin soon found his business at the forefront of a global industry. When the 19th century came to a close, his Oshawa-based company was one of the largest carriage facilities in the world— serving as a precursor to the region’s automotive dominance later on.
Today’s Durham may no longer be teeming with horse-drawn carriages, but the path carved by Mclaughlin continues to draw in innovators from around the world to create the leaders of tomorrow. Seemingly anticipating future trends, the region was ahead of the curve when it came to autonomous and electric vehicles and clean energy. These programs didn’t need to be quickly adopted in the area, as they were already in place and thriving.
“The innovations we have here are big world-changing innovations, in sectors like clean energy and advanced mobility—changing the way people travel,” explains Simon Gill, Director of Economic Development and Tourism at Invest Durham. “We have a history of doing that, and we’re confident our innovators will continue to change the world.”
The region’s technological advancements can also be owed to its proximity to new talent. With three postsecondary schools, including two ranked in the top ten of Macleans’s Rankings of undergraduate universities, Durham’s place in the
technological field has accelerating quickly past its automotive manufacturing.
Between Durham College, Ontario Tech University and Trent University Durham GTA, Durham Region boasts over 30,000 students enrolled annually. These students have gone on to bring their knowledge and skills to the area and around the world.
While the world has benefited from the innovators that have learned in Durham, it has also benefited from the research and development innovations in the region itself. A top-tier example is
the ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel at Ontario Tech. Unlike any other testing facility in the world, ACE has become one of the prime areas for automotive testing. It has the ability to simulate vehicle responses to blizzards, rain, freezing rain, and an incredibly wide range of temperature changes. ACE can also handle aerodynamic testing, heating, ventilation, and stringent quality control.
“The testing and development capacities of the ACE
research facility at Ontario Tech will play an integral role in the bright future Durham Region has in world-class intelligent manufacturing and
the reinvention of the car,” says Dr. Les Jacobs, Vicepresident of Research and Innovation at Ontario Tech. “The unique educational experiences our students receive at the university position them to become innovation leaders in automotive and clean energy companies across the region.”
Durham Region’s combin- ation of talent and innova-
tion may be impressive, but according to Gill, the region’s lead in clean energy ties it all together.
“The overlay between energy and mobility is becoming more closely related; motor vehicles are becoming electrified,” Gill notes.
Today, Durham is the clean energy capital of Canada: one of the region’s proudest accolades.
Ontario Power Generation’s two facilities currently generate more than 30% of Ontario’s electricity needs.
To push innovation even more, Ontario Power Generation is developing small modular reactors at their
Darlington campus in an effort to innovate the future of energy delivery.
The result is much like Robert Mclaughlin’s vision nearly 200 years ago: providing the manufacturing
quality that consumers demand while staying ahead of the curve on innovation.
Combined, Durham Region remains poised to be a leader in innovation for tomorrow, just as they have been since the beginning.
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