On August 22, Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced a FedNor investment of $377,832 to help Cambrian College accelerate research and development (R&D), support local businesses and create more jobs in Greater Sudbury. MP Lapointe was joined for the announcement by Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and to the Minister of Official Languages, which was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister responsible for FedNor.
Provided through FedNor's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI), this investment will enable Cambrian College to hire a research engineer and a welding and fabrication technologist to oversee the production and assembly of prototypes and new products. Working closely with the research, engineering and business development teams at Cambrian Innovates, the successful candidates will support businesses and industry partners during all phases of a project's lifecycle. This includes developing a scope of work and budget, collaborating with researchers on R&D, and operating specialized equipment to create innovative products and solutions for industry partners in key sectors such as mining, clean-tech, and more.
Identified as a strategic priority, this three-year initiative will help Cambrian College increase research income, provide support for close to 60 businesses, help forge new business alliances, and support the development of more than 60 new products, processes, services or technologies.
Quotes
"Cambrian College supports innovation, local business, and the creation of good stable jobs - boosting the local economy. Today's investment will fund multiple new positions in efforts to innovate, grow and commercialize new products in key sectors such as mining. This is helping grow an economy that is fairer for Northern Ontario."
- The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Indigenous Services and Minister Responsible for FedNor
"Cambrian is one of the top 50 research colleges in Canada and I am proud that this funding is helping them expand their R&D capacity, create new jobs and support the success of small- and medium-sized businesses. Sudbury is a hotbed for innovation and this investment in Cambrian College will ensure innovation continues to thrive in our region, while supporting jobs, growth and a strong economy that includes everyone."
- Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury
"Supporting companies allows them to boost innovation, bring new products to market, and grow their businesses. Today's announcement helps create jobs and empowers small businesses in Nickel Belt - Greater Sudbury and across Northern Ontario to seize new opportunities for growth and sustainability."
- Marc G. Serré Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers of Energy and Natural Resources and Official Languages
"We want to thank the Government of Canada, through FedNor, for this investment and confidence in Cambrian R&D. More industry partners, particularly in mining and manufacturing, are seeking out Cambrian R&D to help them advance innovation and grow their business, and this investment, in turn, is growing our capacity to provide that expertise. We are very excited to add these new skilled workers to our team in Cambrian R&D."
- Janneke Nicholls, Vice-President of Finance, Administration and Applied Research, Cambrian College
Quick facts
- The investments announced are provided through FedNor's Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI), which supports the growth of Northern Ontario businesses, their expansion into new markets, and their adoption of new technologies and processes.
- Cambrian College has been ranked as one of the top 50 research colleges in Canada since 2012. This is largely due to its research and development arm, Cambrian Innovates (CI). Established in 2009, CI has worked with the private sector to co-ordinate applied research and development projects. It also provides access to funding, faculty expertise, facilities, and student exposure to private sector innovation.
