Alphabet’s self‑driving car division, Waymo, has secured permission to join Ontario’s automated‑vehicle pilot program, paving the way for a future presence in Canada. The company is not yet launching a public robotaxi service; instead, it is following its usual rollout plan that moves from manual mapping to testing and eventually to commercial operations. In a blog post published on Friday, Waymo explained that its vehicles will be driven manually in Toronto to generate high‑definition maps of the city’s streets. After the mapping phase, the autonomous cars will be tested on public roads with a human safety operator on board. Once the technology proves reliable, the operators will be removed from the driver’s seat and the public will be invited to ride in the robotaxis.
Waymo’s entry into Canada is part of a rapid expansion strategy that has accelerated over the past two years. At that time the firm operated in only three commercial markets and its robotaxis did not travel on freeways. The expansion began in March 2025 with deployments in Austin and later Atlanta. Today the company runs robotaxi services in fifteen U.S. cities and is testing the technology in London and Tokyo as well. Co‑CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the move into Canada represents a significant milestone in Waymo’s global journey, noting that Toronto is the northernmost and likely the most wintry city the company has attempted to serve, a test for both its autonomous‑vehicle technology and its operational expertise.
To support its accelerated growth, Waymo has begun partnering with third‑party firms to manage local fleets, and in Toronto it has teamed up with Element Fleet Management, a company based in the city. Waymo expects the partnership to create hundreds of jobs in areas such as fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service and operations.