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Nine Canadian Kids Finalists in Global Design Competition

Apr 13, 2023

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 13, 2023 – Nine Canadian kids were named finalists in a global design competition after coming up with innovative solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges. From environmental issues to social tensions, the nine kids from across Canada each designed a unique vehicle to help make the world a better place, and now their innovations will now compete against other designs on the world stage.

Every year, Toyota invites kids across Canada (and around the world) to design a ‘dream car’ to help make the world a better place. Here are the three Canadian winners (and finalists in the worldwide competition) in each age category (along with their designs):

Under 8 Years Old

  • Ziyu Alan Wang (age 7, Oakville, ON). Ziyu’s entry – “Twinkle Twinkle Music Car” – flies over the Earth’s atmosphere while playing live concerts to “spread joy to the universe”. Humans – as well as all other forms of life in space - can enjoy the peaceful melodies.
  • Brianna Law (age 7, Richmond, BC). Brianna’s entry – “Healicorn that Spreads Love” –      is a unicorn-shaped vehicle with the power to heal the environment and spread love to all people. A multi-terrain solution, it filters the Earth’s bodies of water to rid them of garbage,      while also putting out wildfires on land.
  • Phoebe Zhang (age 5, Richmond Hill, ON). Phoebe’s entry – “Mobile Candy Shop” –is a mobile candy store providing children with a safe and trusted way to purchase candy in their neighbourhoods.

8 to 11 Years Old

  • Dora Chen (age 11, Foothills, AB). Dora’s entry – “Nature Keeper” – is shaped like an Indigenous totem to represent nature. This vehicle fights pollution by sucking up all unclean air and transforming it into a rainbow of hope.
  • Claire Kim (age 11, Calgary, AB). Claire’s entry – “Happy Family Dream Car” –creates a    safe space of joy for families and kids, protecting them from the negativities living outside it.
  • Louisa Ji (age 11, Vancouver, BC). Louisa’s entry – “Journey Through Earth” – sucks up    air pollution from our cities, cleaning and re-releasing it through the car’s exhaust pipe as    floral-scented air. The vehicle is also an educational tool to teach people about its    cutting-edge technology.

12 to 15 Years Old

  • Chloe Ng (age 12, Calgary, AB). Chloe’s entry – “Hydro-Car” – collects and filters water from our oceans to distribute around the world, so everyone can have access to clean, filtered water.
  • Ryan Chen (age 12, Foothills, AB). Ryan’s entry – “Peace Builder” – helps families     affected by war by rebuilding buildings, cities and relationships to reunite families.
  • Haeum Park (age 14, Calgary, AB). Haeum’s entry – “Eco-Friendly Bus” – runs on bio-energy derived from corn, eliminating fossil fuels altogether. It also grows and delivers its      own vegetables and fruit.

A panel of distinguished Canadian judges was tasked with assessing the entries from kids across Canada:

  • Dr. Bonnie Schmidt – President, Let’s Talk Science
  • Larry Hutchinson – President and CEO, Toyota Canada
  • Regina Chan – Managing Director, AutoNerve Media

 
Here’s what the judges had to say about the submissions for this year’s contest:

“The vision, creativity and innovation presented in the design ideas of Canadian children and youth is truly impressive. With the reoccurring themes of peace, environmental sustainability, and happiness, it’s clear to see that these are the leaders of tomorrow.” – Larry Hutchinson, President and CEO, Toyota Canada

“The imagination and ingenuity expressed through the concepts of these designs were filled with hope and a deep desire to build a better world. Judging this year’s competition was inspiring and made it very difficult to select just nine finalists. Congratulations to all the participants who shared their dream car. Our future is in good hands.” – Dr. Bonnie Schmidt, President, Let’s Talk Science

“We have many talented young artists across Canada, and I am very impressed with all the entries. Their creativity and vision range from innovative ideas to address social issues to wild ideas beyond our imagination. Their youthful and pure philosophies were embedded in their drawings and they give us hope of a brighter future with better transportation and a cleaner environment.” – Regina Chan, Managing Director, AutoNerve Media

The nine Canadian finalists will now be entered into the World Finals of the contest for a chance to win a prize valued at $5,000 USD. Each Canadian finalist also received a $250 online retail gift card to KiwiCo.

First held in 2004 and now one of the world’s largest global design contests for children, the Toyota Dream Car Art contest invites future artists, designers and engineers to share their ideas about the future of mobility.

For more about the global Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, visit: https://www.toyota-dreamcarart.com/top/

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over six million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 288 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability to the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI’s head office is in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax, and parts distribution centres in Clarington and Vancouver. Toyota also operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than nine million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include the Toyota RAV4, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, the Lexus RX and RX hybrid, and the Lexus NX and NH hybrid. Recent investments at its facilities in Ontario will allow for increased production of these top-selling models for the North American market.

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