CBC Television’s Rick Mercer Report has a (winter) blast at ACE

Famous for his political satire and visits to special places across Canada, CBC Television’s Rick Mercer went for a wild ride as he brought his road show to UOIT for an episode of the Rick Mercer Report (see March 27, 2012 program).

Mercer toured the General Motors of Canada Automotive Centre of Excellence (ACE) to check out the sheer power of ACE’s climatic wind tunnel during fierce indoor blizzard conditions. During the visit, Mercer also attempted to have a bowl of cereal while inside a car on ACE’s four-poster shaker, a chamber where products are tested in an up and down motion for suspension, body durability and the detection of squeak or rattle.  

Since officially opening in June 2011, many broadcasters in addition to the Rick Mercer Report have come to UOIT to explore ACE’s extreme weather capabilities, including: Discovery Channel Canada, National Geographic Channel, The Weather Network, CTV News, Global News, CBC News and Studio 12 News (CHEX Television Durham).

ACE is a multi-purpose centre with an area of approximately 16,300 square metres. Located at UOIT in north Oshawa, ACE is divided into two distinct sections: a core research facility and an integrated research and training facility. This $100 million dollar facility was developed in partnership with UOIT, General Motors of Canada, the Government of Ontario, the Government of Canada and the Partners for the Advancement of Collaborative Engineering Education (PACE).