New Agreement to Enhance Regional Cooperation and Competitiveness

From Tribune Newswire

Lansing/Ontario – The Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan are working together to drive growth and increase the competitiveness of the Great Lakes auto industry.

Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and Michigan Governor Rick Snyder were in Traverse City, Michigan, today to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will promote auto industry innovation and regional competitiveness.

Ontario and Michigan are two of the leading automotive jurisdictions in North America, together accounting for more than 26 percent of vehicle production in the region.

North America’s auto industry is comprised of regional clusters in the Great Lakes, southeastern U.S. and Mexico. As the leaders of the Great Lakes region, Ontario and Michigan benefit from a shared and integrated supply chain, with parts and completed vehicles moving back and forth across the border.

The new MOU between Ontario and Michigan will create a working group to explore opportunities for increased collaboration that enhance the competiveness of both jurisdictions. Potential focus areas include:

Technology advancement, including connected cars, autonomous vehicles, lightweight materials and alternative fuels
Increased supply chain integration and technology transfer through business-to-business partnerships
Best practices in industry strategy, regulatory and policy approaches, and workforce skills development.