AUTO21, Canada’s national automotive research network, retained the Center for Automotive Research to independently assess the impacts of AUTO21’s project funding and estimate the economic and societal net contributions made by the research and development projects funded by AUTO21. Using the REMI model, this report examined 62 research projects contained within AUTO21’s research portfolio and estimated the research network’s benefits to the Canadian economy to be 1,600 highly qualified personnel trained, a 12:1 return on investment based on public and private sector funding, $1.124 billion in total economic and societal benefits, and 2,200 jobs created or retained. The AUTO21 program was found to create economic and educational opportunities as well as sizeable societal benefits for the public and industry alike in addition to providing a business incentive for automotive companies to locate in Canada.
