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Toyota. A Made-in-Canada Story
When someone says "Toyota" do the words "Made in Canada" come to mind? If not, that's understandable. In fact, research tells us that while Canadians love our Toyota and Lexus vehicles, few Canadians know they are made here. Truth is, Canada - and Canadians - are bigger parts of the Toyota family than you might realize.
After 40-plus years in Canada, Toyota continues to do its best to make things better - contributing to stronger and more prosperous communities, a cleaner environment and making vehicles designed to match Canadian ideals.
The most recent development is in Woodstock, Ontario, where Toyota has invested more than $1 billion in a new manufacturing facility. This new plant is already producing RAV4s and adds even more jobs to Toyota's employment roster.
In fact, Canadians have been making Toyota vehicles for nearly 20 years, including one of the most popular cars of all time, the Toyota Corolla. It's not just us who drive Canadian-made Corollas, either. They are also exported to the U.S. and beyond. Far more Toyota vehicles are built in Canada than are sold here. Similarly, the wheels made at Canadian Autoparts Toyota Inc. in Delta, B.C., are exported and used domestically.
As significant as Toyota's manufacturing presence is, it's just a part of Toyota's efforts here. For example, part of the $1 million per hour Toyota spends on research and development globally is invested in Canada.
At its cold weather testing facility in Timmins, Ontario, one of only two such Toyota facilities in the world, Toyota puts its conventional gas-powered models and next-generation vehicles through gruelling paces.
At temperatures that often drop below -30 degrees Celsius, Toyota engineers test functions like the opening and closing of doors and windows, engine starting, defogging, heater performance and other factors that impact safety and comfort. On roads across Quebec, Northern Ontario, Canada's Western provinces and into our Arctic north, Toyota evaluates braking, heating, handling, stability control and other systems.
The driving force of this work is a principle called Kaizen - a Japanese word meaning 'continuous improvement'. "This is part of our heritage that drives innovation and excellence at Toyota," says Yoichi Tomihara, president of Toyota Canada.
The bottom line, says Tomihara, "We work to make things better every day. It's what we do. It's part of what makes Toyota a natural fit in this country going back more than 40 years."
Source: Toyota SmartTimes, Winter 2009
