Nine Canadian kids win national vehicle design competition

TORONTO, May 21, 2025 – Nine young Canadians have been selected as national winners in the 11th annual Toyota Canada Dream Car Art Contest. Their imaginative creations offer bold, hopeful solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges.

Each year, Toyota invites kids from across the country to dream big and design a car that could help create a better future. Now in its eleventh year in Canada, the contest continues to spark creativity and inspire the next generation of artists, engineers and changemakers.

Here are the three Canadian winners (and finalists in the worldwide competition) in each age category (along with their designs):

Under 8 years old:

• Jackson (age 7, Oakville, ON) - Jackson’s entry – “My Dream Car” – A car that automatically adjusts the length of its body to the load capacity and has an “automatic avoidance” function in case of danger, so that the driver can be ejected from the driver's seat and has a parachute to ensure their safe landing.
  

• Louis (age 3, Calgary, AB) - Louis’ entry – “Automatic Garbage Recycling” – A car that can recycle garbage and make it into Lego-shaped blocks to make pretty houses with lots of colours to help make a beautiful world.

• Aaron (age 7, Oakville, ON) - Aaron’s entry – “Inflatable Cars” – The artwork reimagines cars as inflatable, floating vehicles inspired by Toronto's recent flooding. These cars not only stay afloat during floods but also rescue stranded vehicles by towing them. 

8 – 11 years old:

• Claire Z. (age 11, Vancouver, BC) - Claire’s entry – “ChillMobile” – This two-story RV is a traveling dessert dream. The first floor serves frozen treats in a playful pink and purple theme, while the rooftop restaurant on the second floor offers “sweet” dining with a view. The ChillMobile spreads joy and frosty fun wherever it goes.

• Yule (age 8, Calgary, AB) - Yule’s entry – “Space Garbage Vacuum” – This dream car sucks a lot of garbage out of earth into space and turns it into recycled Tetris Blocks to build many houses on the moon.

• Erin (age 11, North York, ON) - Erin’s entry – “The Magical Library Van” – A car traveling the world as a mobile library, sharing books and spreading knowledge. It inspires learning, creativity and a love for reading, bringing stories and resources to remote areas, connecting communities, and ensuring access to education for all.

12 – 15 years old:

• Claire (age 13, Calgary, AB) - Claire’s entry – “Electric Magnet High-Speed Self-Driving Car” – An environmentally friendly vehicle that feeds off electricity and recharges by running on the road. The car can reach high speeds and can travel around the world being used as daily living area.

• Keane (age 13, Richmond, BC) - Keane’s entry – “From Excess to Access” – This solar-powered electric vehicle is named "The Leftover Lift". Its main function is to transport excess food from grocery stores, restaurants and farms that are otherwise left for waste to be redistributed to local food banks for easier access.

• Nuoxi (age 13, Bedford, NS) - Nuoxi’s entry – “The Fairy Vehicle for Rescuing Endangered Plants” – A green vehicle that promotes biodiversity. On land, its wheels can spread seeds and nutrient solution. In the sea, its robotic arm can plant coral, scan bleached areas and remove dead coral. Radar can ensure that no area is missed.

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

• Leslie Miller, VP, Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer, Toyota Canada
• Paul Lethbridge, Director, Corporate & Community Giving, Breakfast Club of Canada
• Jil McIntosh, Automotive Journalist

The nine Canadian finalists have been 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.

Since its global inception 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 information about the Toyota Canada Dream Car Art Contest visit: https://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/dream-car-art-contest

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

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