Waymo is aiming at Canada. On Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, Element Fleet Management said it will support Waymo's planned Toronto launch, which Element and Waymo describe as Waymo's first operations in Canada, expected in 2028.
What was announced
Element (TSX: EFN) will manage onsite operations for Waymo's Toronto fleet through Element Mobility, covering fleet lifecycle management, vehicle readiness and maintenance, charging, energy management and connected intelligence. The companies say the work builds on a multi-year partnership announced in June, when Element began supporting Waymo in San Diego.
Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said expanding into Canada "marks an important milestone in Waymo's global journey" and called Toronto "one of the world's great cities." Nicole Gavel, Waymo's head of business development and strategic partnerships, said Waymo and Element will "invest in hundreds of roles over time" spanning fleet maintenance, validation driving, customer service and other operations. Element CEO Laura Dottori-Attanasio framed the deal as part of Element's push into autonomous mobility operations.
What was not disclosed
The press release does not give fleet size, service-area maps, fares, or when paid rider service starts inside 2028. Mapping and validation driving typically come first; Element's language is about preparing the fleet, not opening the app to everyone tomorrow.
What it means for Tesla
Waymo already runs driverless ride-hailing across more than a dozen U.S. cities and just opened San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa to all riders (our Oct. 14 coverage). A dated Canada plan puts a paid competitor timeline on the board while Tesla's Cybercab and unsupervised robotaxi expansion are still ramping in U.S. test cities. It does not change Tesla's Austin or Bay Area status this week, but it does show Waymo booking international capacity two years out.