From robotics to AI, Canada’s biggest city is a leader in advanced manufacturing. Here’s some unique venues and tours that’ll make your next event unforgettable.
Toronto is a key player in Ontario’s advanced manufacturing cluster, driving innovation in areas like automation, 3D printing, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. And the advanced manufacturing workforce in the province tops 800,000, with the majority of those jobs being in the Greater Toronto Area, making it the most concentrated area for manufacturing in Canada.
Ontario is also the only jurisdiction in North America with five original equipment manufacturers (OEMs)—Stellantis, Ford, General Motors, Honda and Toyota—highlighting its leadership in the automotive industry. Beyond automotive, Toronto has become Canada’s second-largest aerospace cluster. Last year, Bombardier launched its $670 million global aircraft assembly centre at Toronto Pearson International Airport, further solidifying the region’s aerospace prominence.
This combination of industries and innovation makes Toronto an epicentre for next-generation manufacturing, offering companies and organizations a prime location for business meetings. Ready to plan? Here are a few venues and tours to get you started.
Technical Advanced-Manufacturing Tours in Toronto
Here are a few unique technical tours meeting planners can organize for their conference attendees, giving them hands-on experience of the manufacturing sector.
Crawford Automation Experience Centre
Food and beverage, household essentials, mail: all rely on some form of packaging. At the Automation Experience Centre in Mississauga, corporate teams can explore the latest advancements in packaging automation firsthand, seeing real-time solutions that are transforming the industry. The centre is the first of its kind in Canada and features state-of-the-art equipment, including stretch wrap and top-seal machines, plus autonomous forklifts and conveyors.
Visitors can immerse themselves in a hands-on learning environment where they can interact with the machinery. During scheduled appointments, a team of experts are on-site to answer questions. And the centre is always adding new equipment to its collection, giving corporate groups the chance to see how these innovations can help production in their own manufacturing plants.
HOW TO TOUR: You can schedule a group visit by contacting experience@crawfordpackaging.com.
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) Experience Centre
Located in Cambridge, Ont., approximately one hour west of Toronto, is the TMMC Experience Centre, Canada’s top-producing automotive manufacturer. This facility is where the Corolla was produced over 20 years ago, and the site regularly offers group tours. These 90-minute tours are scheduled around the plant’s production times, ensuring visitors get a real-time view of the manufacturing process.
Guests will have time in the showroom, which features interactive exhibits, and take a motorized tram tour through the plant. Corporate groups will learn about Toyota’s approach to manufacturing, which has impacted how automobiles are manufactured around the world.
HOW TO TOUR: To experience a tour of the showroom, explore the exhibits and ride the motorized tram, schedule a tour with an email to tours@tmmc.ca or call 519-653-1111.
ABS Friction
Disc brake pads might not be flashy, but they’re the reason cars stop at every red light. ABS Friction in Guelph, Ont., just an hour from Toronto, is where these critical components are manufactured. This Canadian family-owned company offers group tours and provides an inside look at the entire production process—from formulation to packaging. Groups will get to see complex tests in action like dynamometer and BEEP vehicle evaluations.
HOW TO TOUR: Corporate groups in the manufacturing industry will appreciate having a behind-the-scenes look of how the small, but mighty product is made. Get an insider look at the facility by calling 519-763-9000 or filling out the tour form here.
Unique Toronto Venues for Manufacturing-Related Events
These Toronto venues offer the space, flexibility and tech-forward features needed to bring manufacturing-focused events to life. Here are a few standout options in the city, including purpose-built convention centres and modern studios designed for collaboration.
Toronto Congress Centre
The Toronto Congress Centre, just five minutes from Toronto Pearson International Airport, offers over 1,000,000 square feet of convention and meeting space between its North and South buildings. With 56 meeting rooms in total, the South Building features seven exhibit halls, a 10,000-square-foot ballroom, 25 meeting rooms and space for up to 1,750 tradeshow booths.
The North Building adds 25 more meeting rooms, a 30,000-square-foot ballroom and over 300,000 square feet of versatile space. The venue collaborates with local growers and wine producers, as well as the renowned chefs. And the venue is a frequent host of manufacturing conferences including Fabtech, Advanced Design and Manufacturing Expo and the Next Generation Manufacturing Summit.
StartWell Event Studio
StartWell, an event venue on King Street West, offers a variety of flexible spaces for corporate meetings and events, catering to groups of all sizes. With seven rooms available, capacity options range from 50 to 150, plus smaller meeting and board rooms perfect for breakout sessions. Each space is fully equipped with whiteboards, flipcharts and presentation screens. In 2023, StartWell hosted the Plug and Play Toronto Supply Chain and Advanced Manufacturing micro-conference; the event featured startup pitches, a fireside chat and trends presentation of the manufacturing industry.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC)
One of Toronto’s largest and most versatile venues, the MTCC regularly hosts events for the manufacturing industry, like CMPX. With over 700,000 square feet of exhibit and meeting space, including 442,000 square feet dedicated to exhibits and 77 meeting rooms, it accommodates events of all sizes.
Sustainability is a key focus at the MTCC—65 per cent of its food and beverage offerings come from local farms. Conveniently located in downtown Toronto, the MTCC is right next to the Rogers Centre, where attendees can catch a Blue Jays game or explore the nearby restaurant scene.
