Toronto, Ontario — The cross-border romance between Ontario and Michigan is official, as the two governments signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Wednesday that is dedicated to a reinforced EV supply chain.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer held a virtual ceremony Wednesday to sign the MOU, in which the two governments agree to seek out joint trade partnerships that would bolster their respective auto sectors and the crucial supply chain that links them.
The Ontario-Michigan border crossing at Windsor is the busiest in North America and the two jurisdictions are each other’s largest trading partners with a recorded total trade value of more than $80.6 billion last year.
Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Vic Fedeli was also present for the signing of the agreement and spoke to the impact the MOU will have on the electric vehicle supply chain that spans Ontario and Michigan.
“Strengthening our relationship with our partners in Michigan will help create the right conditions to ensure that businesses in both jurisdictions, including those in our auto sector, remain globally competitive,” said Fedeli.
“As we continue to build Ontario’s end-to-end electric vehicle supply chain and other priority sectors, we look forward to working with Michigan on initiatives to help businesses grow and create more good-paying jobs.”
As part of the MOU, Ontario and Michigan will establish a Procurement Cooperation Council, according to the Ontario government’s press release.
The council will support an open dialogue on government procurement, improving transparency and engagement on government purchasing for businesses from both jurisdictions.
