Waymo receives Ontario approval to expand robotaxi development into Canada

Waymo said in a blog post on Friday that its self-driving vehicles will first be driven manually in Toronto to create high-definition maps of local street networks. After that, the company will test autonomous vehicles on public roads with a human safety operator on board. The operators will eventually be removed from the driver's seat, and Waymo will later invite the public to take rides in its robotaxis.

The move into Canada is part of a broader expansion that has accelerated. Two years ago, Waymo operated in only three commercial markets and its robotaxis were not yet driving on freeways, according to TechCrunch. Its expansion plans began in March 2025 with a deployment in Austin and later in Atlanta. Waymo now has robotaxi services in 15 U.S. cities and is testing in London and Tokyo.

Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said the expansion into Canada marks an important milestone in its global journey, according to TechCrunch. Toronto is the northernmost and possibly most wintry city Waymo has so far tried to operate in, so those conditions will test its autonomous vehicle technology and operational abilities.

As part of the expansion strategy, Waymo has started partnering with third-party companies to manage its fleet in each city. In Toronto, Waymo said it has partnered with Toronto-based Element Fleet Management and expects to support hundreds of jobs in areas including fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service and operations.