National Academic Strategy
CUTRIC’s National Academic Strategy
The National Academic Strategy underscores CUTRIC’s dedication to enhancing the value for our academic members while driving innovation across Canada’s transit sector. Centered on five key initiatives, the strategy bridges the gap between academic research, industry partners and transit agencies across the country.
With a focus on national collaboration, CUTRIC ensures that partnerships extend beyond provincial borders, fostering groundbreaking research and innovation on a nationwide scale.
Academic Innovation Initiatives
- Academic Sessions
- The academic sessions will regularly bring together members of the academic community to share the latest advancements in transit and related innovations, while also uniting their voices to advocate for funding and support from key stakeholders.
- Academic Directory
- The academic directory will showcase research capabilities across Canada, enabling transit agencies, manufacturers and industry suppliers to easily connect with academic institutions and researchers specializing in transit electrification and innovations.
- Return to Transit Fund
- Securing funding for early- to mid-stage transit technology research will drive innovations that advance zero emission solutions and improve transit systems, ensuring they better serve communities and align with Canada's climate and sustainability goals.
- Training Programs
- We will collaborate with academic partners to enhance and develop training and internship programs for electric bus maintenance and operations, addressing the needs of transit agencies at various stages of electrification.
- Innovation Day
- We will host a Transit Innovation Day in 2025 to showcase cutting-edge transit products and solutions, featuring a formal pitch competition that will highlight academic teams' innovations and provide valuable engagement opportunities with industry partners.
CUTRIC’s Academic Members
Academic Committee for Transit Innovation
The Academic Committee for Transit Innovation will advance the needs of the academic community by securing funding for transit-related projects, fostering the growth of knowledge in transit innovation, and ensuring a skilled workforce is equipped to support and maintain the evolving technologies in the transit sector. By bridging industry needs with academic expertise and policy-making, the Committee will enhance Canada’s capacity for advanced research, development and technical workforce training in transit and mobility.
- Committee Members
- Driving Force:
- Universities, colleges and non-profit research organizations involved in transit and mobility research, innovation and workforce development
- Participants:
- All CUTRIC members
- Committee Structure
- Led by a Chair and a Vice-Chair
- Committee Purpose
- Create a national forum for CUTRIC’s academic members to share up-to-date information and data related to transit research and workforce development.
- Provide access to the highest quality academic-led knowledge and research related to transit innovation in Canada and the United States.
- Provide resources for advanced technical workforce development focused on next-generation transit operations and maintenance, including low-carbon and automated systems.
Academic Innovation Committee Meetings
Academic Committe (ACTI)
Online
ACTI #4: Hydrogen fuel cell innovation: Stack degradation, Powertrain performance and Hydrogen supply chain gaps
This event is the fourth installment in the ACTI 2026 series. Bringing together leading academic researchers and industry experts, this
