Waymo has received approval to take part in Ontario's automated vehicle pilot program, clearing the Alphabet-owned self-driving unit to begin work in Canada. The company is not opening a commercial robotaxi service there yet. It will start by driving its vehicles manually around Toronto to build high-definition maps of the city's street network, following the same step-by-step approach it has used when entering other new markets.
After the mapping stage, Waymo plans to put its autonomous vehicles on public roads with a human safety operator aboard. Those operators would later be removed from the driver's seat, and only after that would Waymo invite members of the public to ride in its robotaxis. The company described the sequence in a blog post on Friday.
Waymo's co-CEO, Tekedra Mawakana, called the Canadian expansion an important milestone in the company's global journey. The company noted that Toronto is the northernmost city it has attempted to operate in and possibly the most wintry, conditions that will test both its autonomous driving technology and its operational capabilities.
The Canadian move fits into a broader and accelerating push into new markets. Two years ago, Waymo ran commercial operations in just three markets, and its robotaxis had not yet driven on freeways. That expansion took a step forward in March 2025 with a deployment in Austin, followed later by Atlanta. Waymo now offers robotaxi services in 15 U.S. cities and is testing in London and Tokyo.
As part of its faster expansion strategy, Waymo has begun working with outside companies to manage its fleet in each city it enters. In Toronto, it has partnered with Element Fleet Management, which is based in the city. Waymo said it expects to support hundreds of jobs in areas including fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service and operations.
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