December 18, 2006
EDMONTON, AB - Western Canada's growing
information technology sector got a boost today with an important investment
in TRLabs, Canada's largest and most successful not-for-profit
information and communications technology research and development consortium. Funding
for this announcement includes a $10 million federal investment in TRLabs
from Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) and $7.5 million
from the Alberta government, over five years.
"Canada's New Government is supporting research, development
and commercialization - key drivers that are stimulating economic
diversification in the West," said Mr. Rahim Jaffer, Member of
Parliament for Edmonton-Strathcona, on behalf of the Honourable Carol
Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic
Diversification. "This investment will ensure TRLabs can continue
moving innovative ideas into the marketplace while generating new jobs,
skills development opportunities and significant economic growth in Western
Canada."
Funding announced today at TRLabs' head office in Edmonton will support
the core operations in Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg. University
professors, graduate students, industry and staff researchers will work
together to conduct applied research in the field of information and
communications technology.
"Information and communications technology plays a key role in expanding
Alberta's economy," said Doug Horner, Minister of Alberta Advanced
Education and Technology. "This technology is important in
health, education, energy and virtually every industry in our province. TRLabs
is a key contributor to Alberta's innovation system, bridging basic
research with commercial applications and helping entrepreneurs to turn
research into competitive products and services for world markets."
The federal and provincial funding agreements will help ensure the 50
members (including 37 industry members) comprising the TRLabs research
consortium benefit from the organization's continuing efforts to
develop new technology, advance knowledge in the information and communication
technology sector, and train university students for leadership roles
in Canadian industry.
"This investment in TRLabs enables us to continue to provide our
members with an important service that feeds job creation and future
prosperity in this key industry," said TRLabs President and CEO
Dr. Roger Pederson. "The new technology and highly skilled university
graduates we produce are more important than ever in a sector that enables
productivity in all other economic sectors, grows at twice the rate of
the broader economy, and is Canada's largest research and development
spender and employment generator."
TRLabs partners include major multinational and national corporations
from the information technologies and telecommunications field; the Universities
of Manitoba, Alberta, Calgary, Regina, Saskatchewan; the Governments
of Canada, Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan; and 37 companies, the
majority of which are small and medium-sized enterprises.
The investment in TRLabs being announced today at events in Winnipeg, Edmonton
and Saskatoon includes $10 million from the federal government, $2.4 million
each from the Governments of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and $7.5 million
from the Government of Alberta for a total of $22.3 million.
For additional information, contact:
Donna Kinley
Communications Manager
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: (780) 495-6892
Mike Winterburn
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Telephone: (613) 995-2960
Suzana Krpan
Public Affairs Officer
Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
Telephone: (780) 427-2237
Chris Fields
Manager, Corporate Development
TRLabs
Telephone: (403) 862-4011
