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The Toronto Region is home to a strong steel innovation and research cluster 

The Toronto Region is....

• Home to Hamilton, Ontario, which is the capital of Canada's steel-related technology and steel industry research centre
  • Ontario recorded $10.2 billion in steel shipments in 2006, the third highest region in North America, and is projected to reach $13.2 billion in steel shipments in 2008

• The site of a dynamic cluster of major Canadian steel manufacturers, including: ArcelorMittal Dofasco, US Steel Canada (formerly Stelco), Gerdau Ameristeel Inc., Laurel Steel Division of Harris Steel Group, several divisions of Samuel, Son & Co., and Russel Metals Inc.

• The location of a sophisticated customer base that includes major automotive manufacturers such as: Ford Canada, General Motors Canada, Honda Canada, Linamar Corporation, Magna International, Toyota Canada, and Westcast Industries

• Home to 75 engineering, technical and materials programs offered at area colleges and universities,  producing a highly-educated and highly-skilled workforce
  • more than 4,600 college and university graduates from engineering and technical programs in 2006

 
World-class steel research and education

Toronto Region universities are a hub of research excellence recognized by major Canadian granting agencies. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) awarded more than $9 million in grants related to steel research and materials science to Toronto Region researchers in 2006-07.  One-quarter (170) of NSERC-funded experts and Canada Research Chairs are based in the region.   

The University of Toronto, University of Waterloo and McMaster University are among the top 15 universities in North America to publish articles related to research in steel and materials science. The region is ranked #5 in North America based on the number of published articles on steel technologies and related materials. 

With 30 steel and materials science research institutes affiliated with area post-secondary institutions, the region is a centre of advanced research and development:

• McMaster University: Steel Research Centre, Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research; Centre for Advanced Polymer Processing & Design; Centre for Electrophotonic Materials & Devices; Centre for Mechatronics and Hybrid Technologies; Centre for the Effective Design of Structures; General Motors of Canada Centre for Automotive Materials and Corrosion; Initiative for Automotive Manufacturing Innovation; McMaster Institute for Automotive Research and Technology; McMaster Institute for Polymer Production Technology; McMaster Institute for Transportation and Logistics; McMaster Manufacturing Research Institute; Metal Forming Laboratory;
• University of Waterloo: Sustainable Energy Research; Waterloo Advanced Technology Labs (Wat abs); Waterloo Centre for Automotive Materials and Manufacturing (WatCAMM); Waterloo Centre for Automotive Research (WatCAR); Waterloo Management of Integrated Manufacturing Systems (WatMIMS)
• University of Toronto: Centre for Advanced Coating Technologies; Energenius Centre for Advanced Nanotechnology; Institute for Aerospace Studies; Institute for Knowledge Innovation and Technology
• York University: Institute for Research and Innovation in Sustainability

• CANMET-MTL, federal government's Materials Technology Laboratory research centre is slated to open at McMaster Innovation Park in 2010. CANMET-MTL has a start-to-finish capability covering the complete materials cycle from materials selection, fabrication, service performance and characterization to prototype/product development.