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March 2025

Durham Region at HANNOVER MESSE 2025

Durham Region will showcase its innovation at HANNOVER MESSE 2025 from March 31 to April 4. Meet the Durham team in the Canadian pavilion, at Hall 2, B42. 

HANNOVER MESSE is the world’s most important tradeshow for industrial and energy technologies. With Canada serving as partner country, a team from across Durham Region will be among the 250 Canadian delegates showcasing their industrial technology solutions and sharing their expertise. Invest Durham will also leverage this investment mission to promote trade opportunities for local producers in the European market. 

Durham is home to impressive research and development assets, strong industrial clusters, and world-renowned academic institutions that are backed by collaborative efforts among its eight local municipalities. 

Invest Durham looks forward to fostering international collaboration and attracting businesses to join its vibrant business ecosystem. 

Network with Invest Durham and Nuremberg Partnership at HANNOVER MESSE 

If you are attending HANNOVER MESSE, join Invest Durham and the Nuremberg Partnership for an event that promises to be a gamechanger for your business.

On April 1, Invest Durham, in collaboration with the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region, will host “Smart Solutions for a Common Future.” This event will bring together expert speakers in fields such as academic research, clean energy, automotive technology and applied artificial intelligence. Benefit from industry insights from top executives from Canada and Germany. Build valuable connections while enjoying a networking lunch featuring German and Canadian-inspired cuisine.  

Register by March 24 to secure your spot for this unique opportunity to meet with industrial leaders and innovators at the Convention Centre in Room “Bonn” on the ground floor.

Events and Partnerships

U.S. Tariff Response

U.S. tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will have broad impacts on jobs and the economy in Durham Region.

Invest Durham, with the Cities, Towns, and Townships, Chambers of Commerce and Boards of Trade and local post-secondary institutions have combined forces to support the impacted businesses and residents of Durham. Here is how the Durham Economic Task Force (DETF) can help:  

• Visit our centralized landing page for information on who to contact, and what support is available.
• Take part in an information webinar on March 20 for exporters seeking to diversify to other markets. Find information and registration details below in the Events and Partnerships section.
• Economic Development teams are reaching out to businesses to offer advice on ways to mitigate impacts and make connections to government services.  
• We are providing information about Durham Region businesses to the Province to support a Team Canada response. 
• We are putting together a trade diversification support program. If your product can be sold in international markets beyond the U.S., we want to know! 
• We will launch a promotional campaign to encourage Canadians to shop locally and visit Durham Region. 

The DETF is meeting regularly to collaborate on the best ways to support Durham businesses, and residents. Our economic strength and resilience will help us weather the storm together to emerge stronger.

Start Your future in the Film and Television Industry

The film and TV industry has never been brighter in Durham Region. See what job opportunities are available when you attend Film Durham’s Film and Television Industry Career Fair on March 17.   

You’ll meet industry professionals, pick up valuable tips from panel discussions and see the industry in action with interactive booths.

Whether you’re a high school or post-secondary student or an adult looking for a career change, everyone’s welcome. Register for free before space runs out. 

The Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD) is looking for ambitious and aspiring young entrepreneurs to be a part of the Summer Company program.  

Instead of working for someone else, students could spend their summer starting and running their very own business with the help of up to $3,000 in start-up money and hands-on training, coaching and mentoring.   

Eligible students must be:

• between the ages of 15 and 29 years old (a parent or guardian must sign the application for those under 18).  
• attending school now and are returning to school in the fall (this includes full-time, part-time, homeschooling, e-learning, distance learning, apprenticeships, trade schools, etc.).  
• starting a new business.  
• not working at another job or attending school for more than 12 hours per week during the program.  
• a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident who lives in Ontario. 

Space is limited. Applications close May 4.  

Thank you to agriculture businesses and community members who provided feedback on Durham Region’s study to update policies for agriculture-related and on-farm diversified uses in the townships of Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge.  

Draft recommendations and an application toolkit are now available for review. Give your feedback by taking part in the online survey before March 17. 

Recent Business News

Ontario Tech University is leading the way in artificial intelligence (AI) education. Read the Globe and Mail article to learn more about how young students are using AI to enhance their job prospects. 

Ontario Tech’s ACE Core Research and Development facility helped two Canadian skiers land on the podium at the prestigious World Cup downhill in Kitzbuhel, Austria. Read how ACE’s Climatic Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel helped to refine their skills. 

Oshawa’s Kevares Autonomous Services has been chosen as one of eight startups to benefit from the Smart Mobility Tech Accelerator program. Read the Toronto Star article to learn more about the new GTA initiative designed to accelerate the future of transportation. 

Project Arrow has been a groundbreaking initiative showcasing Canada’s capabilities in zero-emission and autonomous vehicle technology.

The Government of Canada recently invested $7 million for the expansion of Project Arrow 2.0. While an Ontario Tech lab won an engineering research project award in 2024 for its work on the home-grown all-electric vehicle. Ontario Tech also secured funding for cybersecurity research related to electric vehicle charging stations. 

The ACE Climatic Wind Tunnel and Core Research Facility was recently designated a NATO test centre for the development of civilian and military technologies. Learn more about their work.

Durham College (DC) is excelling in various fields. The school’s AI Hub was awarded last year for its work to help businesses conduct research and development, adopt new technology and education and training. It has also launched a new Electric Drive Vehicle Technician program—one of only two in Ontario. DC’s Barrett Centre was also recognized by the Province of Ontario for excellence in urban agriculture. Additionally, the school was honoured with an award for sustainability efforts and has been named one of Canada’s top 50 research colleges. 

Trent University Durham Greater Toronto Area (GTA) celebrated 50 years of academic excellence in 2024. The year was capped with Trent University's rise to number two undergraduate university in the 2025 rankings by Macleans magazine. Trent Durham has also put roots into downtown Oshawa with its Advanced Learning Centre, attracting hundreds of post-secondary students. 

Ontario Tech U has achieved a number of notable milestones. For the second consecutive year, it was named Canada’s Research University of the Year by Research Infosource. The university also claimed the number one spot for reputation in the 2025 post-secondary rankings by Maclean’s magazine. Ontario Tech U also showcased its national leadership in hydrogen energy innovation when it hosted last year’s Hydrogen Business Council of Canada conference. It was also recognized as a leader in environmental responsibility, earning accolades for its sustainable purchasing practices. 

Ontario Tech U has also made significant strides in health care innovation. This past fall it partnered with Lakeridge Health to find ways to use artificial intelligence to enhance patient care and improve health outcomes. Ontario Tech-driven research is also exploring the promise of virtual reality in dementia care, while work on a robotic glove is helping to restore hand movements for people affected by stroke or spinal cord injury. The university’s rehabilitation research hub has also been designated a World Health Organization Collaborating Centre.

The City of Oshawa is positioning itself as an emerging leader in the tech industry. It credits its high-quality talent pool, proximity to Toronto and development incentives for attracting new businesses. 

Durham Region has a strong centuries-old agricultural industry and with robotics and vertical farming, these three agri-tech companies, Korechi Innovations Inc., Mighty Harvest and Moduleaf are innovating it. Meet the founders of Durham Region’s leading agri-tech companies. 

Contact Us

Toll-free: 1-800-706-9857

InvestDurham.ca 



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