5 reasons to invest in Oakville, Ontario—a leader in EV production and sustainable transportation

Oakville has made significant investments in green innovation and sustainability

Welcome to Invest Ontario’s regional spotlight series showcasing diverse municipalities across our province. We highlight a unique region and what makes it special from a business and lifestyle standpoint. As always, it will be in their own words. Here’s the next in our lineup from our friends in Oakville, Ontario.

Positioned on the shores of Lake Ontario, Oakville has a prime location that is only 30 minutes from downtown Toronto. Oakville’s high quality of life has attracted a community of talented, diverse and highly educated individuals from all over the world, making Oakville the community where companies want to be.

With major investments in green innovation, electric vehicle (EV) production, job creation and infrastructure, Oakville is taking significant steps to support a green economy and a sustainable way of life for its residents.

Here are five reasons to look to Oakville for leadership in sustainability and as a prime location for investment.

Oakville is:

Investing in green innovation

Oakville—and the companies that choose to call it home—have made significant investments in green innovation and sustainability. Most notably, Ford Motor Company of Canada, the town’s largest employer, is investing $1.8 billion to transform its Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC) from an internal combustion site to also become a battery electric vehicle (BEV) manufacturing facility, starting in 2024. With this historic investment—which received matched funding contributions of $295 million from both the federal and provincial governments—a family of battery-electric SUVs will be built at OAC.
Retooling for EV, which is creating tens of thousands of jobs
“The retooling of Ford’s Oakville plant is a good news story for Oakville and for Canada,” says Oakville Mayor Rob Burton. “The economic activity that spills out of the Oakville Ford Plant generates, in addition to the more than 3,000 employees at the plant, many tens of thousands more jobs. And the production of electric vehicles in our community is in line with our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging residents to use electric vehicles.”
Designing an EV network

The Town of Oakville is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the community and encouraging more people to use electric vehicles. This commitment begins with creating a community-wide network of EV charging stations, including the installation of 23 dual charging stations and a total of 46 EV parking spaces. The network of EV chargers will be close to main streets, shopping areas and recreation facilities. Eight charging stations have already been installed in downtown Oakville as part of the Downtown Lakeshore Road revitalization project. The remaining stations will be installed throughout 2021.
Committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions
“We know that the emission of greenhouse gases is the largest human influence on climate change. Making it easier for residents to make the switch to electric vehicles is part of the town’s commitment to reduce our community’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 per cent by 2041,” says Mayor Burton.

EV charging stations are one of many programs Oakville has in place to support climate action. In addition to the charging stations, Oakville Transit’s buses are set to be replaced with zero-emission battery-electric buses to support a healthier, more sustainable community.
One of Canada’s best locations for new investment
Oakville is one of Canada’s best locations for new investment, as recognized by Site Selection magazine. For the second year in a row, Oakville has been named among 20 thriving business economies across Canada, celebrated for the community’s livability, new economic development strategy and significant economic growth. Oakville offers competitive costs for doing business, with commercial tax rates and development charges ranking within the top five municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area.