About Us

The Ontario BioAuto Council, headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization established in 2007 to link chemicals, plastics, manufacturing, auto parts and automotive assemblers with agriculture and forestry.  Our vision is to make Ontario a global leader in the use of renewable biobased materials.

The Council's membership includes large Canadian auto parts companies who manufacture and sell products around the world.  Foreign membership is attracted from multi-national industrial biotechnology, chemical and agri-business companies wanting to partner with Ontario's manufacturing sector.  Through these partnerships we hope to accelerate the commercialization of new technologies, build viable supply chains and grow global market demand.  The Council also links industry with leading universities and provincial and international centres of research excellence in bioplastics and biocomposites.

With initial start-up funding of $6 million from the Government of Ontario, the Ontario BioAuto Council established a Commercialization Fund in 2007.  The fund helps to diminish the risk for companies commercializing biobased products and processes using emerging green technologies (eg. biotechnology, nanotechnology, green chemistry and material science).

The Council integrates Ontario's distinct advantages in the growing biobased economy and helps ensure participants have every opportunity to succeed.  Our Commercialization Fund and activities focus on the following major priorities:

• Improving the global competitiveness of Ontario's manufacturing sector - by developing new products that can better compete on price, performance and environmental footprint.
• Increasing market demand for bioplastics and biochemicals across industry sectors.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions - by using renewable-based bioplastics, biochemicals and high performance natural fibre composite materials that can reduce vehicle weight and improve recyclability.
• Reducing the use of toxic chemicals in production processes and consumer products.
• Identifying and promoting direct foreign investment and trade.

Ontario has the natural resources needed for a strong biobased economy and the industrial capacity to advance new bio-initiatives.  Industry leaders, innovators and investors rely on the Ontario BioAuto Council to drive biomass efforts and further Ontario's competitive position in the international marketplace.