London Inc. Weekly 04 • 12 • 2019
Voyago acquired by Transdev Canada
Photo: A family-run enterprise for 40 years, Voyago has been acquired by Transdev Canada
LONG-TIME LONDON TRANSPORTATION business Voyago, formerly Voyageur Transportation, has been acquired by Montreal-based Transdev Canada. The terms of the deal were not released.
Voyago, a second-generation family business, started out in London 40 years ago, serving local travel and delivery needs to the community, local airport and those in need of transportation. Today the company operates across Ontario and serves over 50,000 passengers every day with student busing, non-emergency patient transfer, charter services and community transit.
“We have carried millions of passengers, and now we have the opportunity to join the Transdev group and work together to further grow our footprint and base of business,” Voyago CEO, Perry Ferguson, said in a statement.
“We are confident that this union is a win-win situation for customers and employees. We are ensuring that the company my parents founded will grow, prosper and even better serve our clients. We are very excited to be moving forward together.”
Transdev Canada’s activities are currently concentrated mainly in the Montreal area and in the GTA. With the buy, Transdev Canada will have 2,600 employees across Quebec and Ontario and will complete 36 million passenger trips per year. The combined company will have revenues of $188 million.
According to Voyago marketing and communications manager, Chuck Archer, it is expected the acquisition will add jobs locally as the company expands into new markets.
“This expansion will not only create jobs in new emerging markets but right here in London as additional administrative and support roles will be required to support extended markets,” said Archer. “Additionally, Voyago expects to expand its current accessible transit services to London Transit, providing more access to more Londoners more often. Expanding our service capacity will require additional buses and even more drivers as well as supporting roles, all right here in London.”
Transdev Canada is a division of Transdev North America, the largest private-sector operator of multiple modes of transit in North America, including bus, rail, streetcar, paratransit and shuttle services. Its parent company, Transdev Group, is a leading global operator and integrator of mobility and operates in 20 countries.
Libro Credit Union to open satellite branch in OEV
Photo: A new Libro Credit Union satellite branch will be located at 874 Dundas Street in OEV
LIBRO CREDIT UNION announced this week the opening of a new satellite branch in Old East Village at 874 Dundas Street. The opening will return banking services to the area following the closure of a full-service TD Canada Trust branch on Dundas Street last summer.
“This is simultaneously a business decision and a statement of intent,” said Shane Butcher, regional manager, Libro Credit Union. “Libro is investing in Old East Village because we know it makes sense for us as a company, and because it is the right thing to do for the community.
“We want everyone to know that we believe in Old East Village as a place to do business, and we want the people of Old East Village to look to us as their very own financial institution. We have absolute confidence in them and in this vibrant, vital part of London.”
According to a statement released by Libro, the credit union has been in discussions with OEV community leaders since OEV was left without a financial institution. Local organizations reached out to Libro, and the credit union examined how it might support OEV revitalization as part of its goal of growing prosperity in southwestern Ontario by transforming banking.
“We’re excited to open our doors in Old East Village,” said Steve Bolton, Libro CEO. “And we’re exploring our options with an open mind. We’re opening a satellite location, not a full branch, in a relatively small space at Dundas and Ontario—and we hope to expand to meet demand as it grows.”
The location, which was most recently home to event venue The Pickle Social Club, is due to open before the end of 2019 and services to be offered in OEV will include banking services for business, retail and investment customers, on-site financial coaching and a 24/7 ATM and night deposit.
Fanshawe College announces new south London campus
Photo: Fanshawe’s new south London campus will be located in the former Westervelt College building on Wellington Road
EARLIER THIS WEEK, Fanshawe College announced it will open a new campus in south London this fall.
College officials announced Wednesday they are in lease negotiations to take over a building at 1060 Wellington Road, the former home of Westervelt College.
“Fanshawe’s exceptional educational offerings and graduate employment rates continue to attract new students from across Ontario and around the globe,” said Fanshawe’s president, Peter Devlin. “We’re pleased to be expanding our presence in this new south London campus.”
According to a media release, Fanshawe is continuing efforts to respond to labour market needs and limited space means the college requires new space. The school will offer four graduate certificate programs at the new campus: agri-business management, business management, business and lnformation systems architecture and residence retirement management.
The south campus will accommodate 250 students this fall. Another 850 more students will be added when renovations are complete.
Fanshawe is the largest college in Southwestern Ontario with a total of 43,000 students. In addition to its Oxford Street, Dundas Street and soon-to-open south campuses, it also has schools in Simcoe, St. Thomas and Woodstock.
Western partners with Chinese group to advance solid-state battery technology
Photo: The Glabat Solid-State Battery Inc. partnership will focus on R&D of solid-state batteries for electric vehicles
ON WEDNESDAY, SENIOR leaders and researchers from Western University were joined by officials from China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co. Ltd. and London Mayor Ed Holder at the Amit Chakma Engineering Building to mark the official opening of Glabat Solid-State Battery Inc.
The initiative represents significant investments in London by the China Automotive Battery Research Institute, which has partnered with Western to advance research related to solid-state batteries for electric vehicles, a possible alternative to the conventional lithium-ion battery.
Professor Andy Sun, a Canada Research Chair at Western, describes solid-state batteries as “next-generation batteries.
“Safer and longer driving range. It’s fast-charging and [will] also be low-price in the future,” Sun said.
The research initiative is the latest project in an ongoing partnership between Western University and the China Automotive Battery Research Institute Co. Ltd. Since 2017, the pair have shared a research laboratory, along with a research facility that was opened in 2018.
The Glabat R&D team consists of scientists and engineers across the fields of materials, polymers, chemistry, and batteries. The group is aiming to bridge the gap between the lab research work and practical solid-state Li batteries, and successfully develop the technology and processes in order to fabricate solid-state cells of large format with outstanding safety, excellent energy density and low cost.
Featured Business Event
GST/HST Information for Small Business | April 17, 2019
Hosted by the Small Business Centre, this free information session is directed towards small business entrepreneurs. Representatives from the Canada Revenue Agency will provide attendees with a seminar on GST/HST for small business, and a general overview of how the GST/HST impacts business operations.