BROMONT,
QC, April 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Semiconductors
power the world. From computers to medical equipment, to electric
vehicles, semiconductors – or microchips – produce so much of what
we depend on. They are also critical in the global race to scale up
and adopt artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and other
emerging technologies that have the potential to transform our
economies.
As global supply chains adapt to meet increasing demand, we can
leverage Canada's innovation and
talent to grow our microchip industry, create high-paying jobs for
Canadians, and become a global leader in semiconductor
manufacturing.
The Prime Minister, Justin
Trudeau, today announced a new federal investment of
$59.9 million to support
projects from IBM Canada and the MiQro Innovation Collaborative
Centre (C2MI), one of Canada's
microelectronics research and innovation leaders, to create more
semiconductors and unlock economic growth.
These projects, with a total value of $226.5 million, will support research into
ground-breaking quantum technologies, add new manufacturing
capacity and capabilities to IBM Canada's semiconductor packaging
facility in Bromont, Quebec, and
strengthen the semiconductor supply chain in Canada. They will also drive significant
growth for Quebec and create more
than 280 new highly skilled jobs in the Bromont region. At the same time, IBM Canada
and C2MI will help foster the next generation of Canadian
innovators in semiconductor packaging and quantum technologies by
offering up to 240 co-op positions.
Combined with additional support from the Government of
Quebec, this federal investment,
made through the Strategic Innovation Fund, will help IBM Canada
keep pace with the market, attract new clients to its
Bromont facility, and contribute to a strong domestic
production of the semiconductor products that businesses and
consumers need. It will also help secure good jobs for Canadians
and bring modern, ground-breaking technologies to our shores
– furthering semiconductor and quantum research in
Canada. This is about investing in
innovation to build a strong semiconductor sector in Canada, grow our economy, and create new
opportunities for this generation and the next.
Quotes
"Today's announcement is a massive win for Canada and our dynamic tech sector. It will
create high-paying jobs, invest in innovation, strengthen supply
chains, and help make sure the most advanced technologies are
Canadian-made. Semiconductors power the world, and we're putting
Canada at the forefront of that
opportunity."
— The Rt. Hon. Justin
Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
"Semiconductors are part of our everyday life. They are in our
phones, our cars, and our appliances. Through this investment, we
are supporting Canadian innovators, creating good jobs, and
solidifying Canada's semiconductor
industry to build a stronger economy. Canada is set to play a larger role in the
global semiconductor industry thanks to projects like those we are
announcing today. Because, when we invest in semiconductor and
quantum technologies, we invest in economic security."
— The Hon. François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"For Bromont and our regional
economy, this investment is transformative. Canada and Quebec's global-leading semiconductor
development will give us a leading edge. This initiative not only
drives economic growth but also fosters good, innovative jobs. Our
hub of green innovation is powered by exceptional talent that will
develop key technologies ranging from next-generation vehicles to
electronics to medical devices. It shows the vital role that
governments can play in stabilizing our future during supply chain
disruptions. With strong partnerships like those with IBM and C2MI,
we are securing a brighter future and ensuring we are prepared for
whatever comes next."
— The Hon. Pascale St-Onge,
Minister of Canadian Heritage
"IBM's investment in Bromont
will ensure that Quebec continues
to stand out in the industry of microelectronics. This increase in
production capacity will solidify Quebec's position within the strategic sector
of microelectronics in North
America."
— Pierre Fitzgibbon, Quebec's Minister of Economy, Innovation and
Energy
"Advanced packaging is a crucial component of the semiconductor
industry, and IBM Canada's Bromont
plant has led the world in this process for decades. Building upon
IBM's 107-year legacy of technology innovation and R&D in
Canada, the Canadian semiconductor
industry will now become even stronger, allowing for robust supply
chains and giving Canadians steady access to even more innovative
technologies and products. This announcement represents just one
more example of IBM's leadership and commitment to the country's
technology and business landscape."
— Deb Pimentel, President, IBM Canada
"IBM has long been a leader in semiconductor research and
development, pioneering breakthroughs to meet tomorrow's
challenges. With the demand for compute surging in the age of AI,
advanced packaging and chiplet technology is becoming critical for
the acceleration of AI workloads. As one of the largest chip
assembly and testing facilities in North
America, IBM's Bromont
facility will play a central role in this future. We are proud to
be working with the governments of Canada and Quebec toward those goals and to build a
stronger and more balanced semiconductor ecosystem in North America and beyond."
— Darío Gil, Senior Global Vice-President, IBM
"We are unquestionably entering an era of quantum revolution,
where perspectives are multiplying and are confined only by those
of the collective imagination. C2MI's new quantum chip
manufacturing capabilities, as announced today, will complement the
state-of-the-art infrastructure and core technologies currently in
place, bringing us one step closer to developing hardware for
domestic companies. With these new equipments, C2MI, in
collaboration with its partners, is poised to develop and produce
quantum chips, paving the way for a resolutely cutting-edge future
that will ensure both Quebec's and
Canada's competitiveness and
leadership in this field."
— Marie-Josée Turgeon, President and Chief Executive
Officer, MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI)
Quick Facts
- This new Strategic Innovation Fund investment builds on the
commitment announced by Prime Minister Trudeau and the President of
the United States of America,
Joe Biden, in March 2023 to advance a cross-border
semiconductor manufacturing corridor, beginning with Canada and IBM providing a significant
investment to develop new and expanded packaging and testing
capabilities at its Bromont
facility.
- The Strategic Innovation Fund is in place to support research,
development, and commercialization of new products that pave the
way for Canada as a global
innovation leader and attract investments that create jobs. The
Government of Canada launched the
Strategic Innovation Fund in Budget 2017 to ensure Canada remains a top destination for
businesses to invest, grow, and create jobs.
- This announcement also builds on other recent federal
initiatives to support and grow Canada's semiconductors supply chain,
including:
- Providing $90 million to the
National Research Council of
Canada's Canadian Photonics
Fabrication Centre, to update its capacity as Canada's only pure play compound semiconductor
foundry and enhance its ability to better meet Canadian and global
client demand.
- Providing $36 million through the
Strategic Innovation Fund to Ottawa-based company Ranovus Inc., to
advance the domestic production and manufacturing of semiconductor
products and services.
- Launching the Semiconductor Challenge Callout, a
$150 million allocation from the
Strategic Innovation Fund, to bolster the development and
manufacturing of semiconductors in Canada. Funding was increased to $250 million in March
2023.
- Semiconductors are critical to Canada's national security, economy, and
technological interests. Nearly every industry ‒ including
automotive and electric vehicles, defence, telecommunications, and
low-carbon technologies ‒ requires semiconductors for current
technologies and future innovations.
- Canada's semiconductor sector
includes over 500 homegrown and multinational companies conducting
research, development, and manufacturing of microchips. This
includes over 100 design firms, 30 applied research laboratories,
and five manufacturing facilities in areas such as compound
semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems, and advanced
packaging.
- In Budget 2024, the Government of Canada announced a $2.4 billion package of measures to secure
Canada's AI advantage. These
investments will accelerate job growth in Canada's AI sector and beyond, boost
productivity by helping researchers and businesses develop and
adopt AI, and ensure this is done responsibly. Learn more.
- With over 282,000 employees working across 175 countries, IBM
is one of the world's largest and longstanding information
technology products and services companies. IBM Canada's
semiconductor advanced packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec, is the largest manufacturing
facility of its kind in North
America.
- Based in Bromont, Quebec, the
MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI) plays an important
role within Canada's semiconductor
industry by offering a unique infrastructure, state-of-the-art
scientific equipment, a network of nearly 400 organizations
covering countless sectors, and a team of seasoned and talented
professionals. It is the essential link between applied research
and the accelerated commercialization of microelectronic
components.
Associated Links
- The Canadian semiconductor industry
- Strategic Innovation Fund
- IBM Canada
- MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI)
This document is also available at https://pm.gc.ca
SOURCE Prime Minister's Office