December 18, 2006
Winnipeg, Manitoba — 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 $2.4 million
from the Manitoba government, over five years.
The announcement was made today by The Honourable Vic Toews, Minister
of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, on behalf of the Honourable
Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic
Diversification, and the Honourable Kerri Irvin-Ross, Minister of Healthy
Living, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Rondeau, Minister of Science,
Technology, Energy and Mines.
”Canada’s New Government is building stronger communities
in Manitoba by investing in TRLabs,” said Minister Toews on behalf
of the Honourable Carol Skelton, Minister of National Revenue and Minister
of Western Economic Diversification. “This important investment
will translate into opportunities for more jobs, skills and growth in
Western Canada and help propel Canada to the forefront of international
telecommunications technology.”
Funding announced today will enable TRLabs to strengthen and
enhance core operations at its five laboratories where university professors,
graduate students, industry, and staff researchers work together to conduct
applied research in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
“Investing in research means economic growth for Manitoba,” said
Irvin-Ross. “The funding provided to support TRLabs’ research
will boost Canada’s capacity to compete in high-tech sectors and
will foster technology and business partnerships throughout North America
and the world.”
"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 (R&D) spender and
employment generator."
The federal and provincial funding agreements will also help ensure
that the 50 members (including 37 industry members) comprising the
TRLabs research consortium benefit from the organization’s
continuing efforts to develop new technology, advanced knowledge in information
and telecommunications technologies, and train university students for
leadership roles in Canadian industry.
TRLabs is the largest not-for-profit applied information communications
technology (ICT) research consortium in Canada. Headquartered
in Edmonton, it operates laboratories in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary,
Regina, and Saskatoon.
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:
France Guimond
Manager, Communications
Western Economic Diversification Canada
Winnipeg, MB
Tel: (204) 983-6243
Mike Winterburn
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of National Revenue and Minister of Western Economic Diversification
Telephone: (613) 995-2960
Joe Czech
Communications Coordinator
Communication Services Manitoba
Telephone: (204) 945-6778
www.gov.mb.ca
Chris Fields
Manager, Corporate Development
TRLabs
Telephone: (403) 862-4011
WD Toll-Free Number:
1 888 338-WEST (9378)
Web Site: WD is online at
www.wd-deo.gc.ca.
Subscribe to news releases and keep up-to-date on the latest from WD.
Backgrounder
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD)
Western Economic Diversification Canada works in partnership with
the provinces, industry associations and communities to stimulate and
diversify Western Canada’s economy, as well as to represent the
interests of the West in national economic policy.
WD is announcing
a $10 million investment in TRLabs, which
will support the core operations of the laboratories in Edmonton, Calgary,
Saskatoon, Regina and Winnipeg over a five-year period (2006-2011).
Since
1996, WD has invested more than $27 million in TRLabs, in addition
to the $10 million announced today, which was directed towards core
operations and other specialized initiatives.
WD’s investment, made through its Western Diversification Program
(WDP), supports the Government of Canada’s commitments to invest
in research, development and technology commercialization; support
small and medium-sized enterprises; and promote a diversified and expanded
business sector.
The underlying objective of the WDP is to create a stronger West
and a stronger Canada. Several guiding principles are used to
help assess how initiatives contribute to this objective, including:
increased economic activity that improves the viability, prosperity,
and standard of living for individuals and communities across Western
Canada.
increased economic research in the areas of community economic
development, leading-edge technologies and entrepreneurship to
provide a sound base for economic development in areas of importance
to Western Canada.
Other elements that are considered when determining
the relative merit of proposals include: the measurable impact
on the western Canadian economy, viability, long-term benefits,
and the participation of other stakeholders.
Provincial Government
Manitoba’s Science, Technology, Energy and Mines, Knowledge
Enterprises Branch is workining in partnership with key stakeholders
to develop an innovation environment in which information and communications
technology businesses can thrive.
The department works with stakeholders
to:
Create an environment fostering ICT business development.
Increase
ICT research activity and the rate of technology commercialization.
Market the Manitoba ICT sector and attract ICT investment to
Manitoba.
Foster a knowledgeable and growing ICT workforce.
The government
of Manitoba recognizes that innovation is critical to Manitoba's
future economic success and has built a long term plan to support
knowledge based economic development through innovation.
The department
is carrying forward the vision contained within the Manitoba:
at the Forefront of Innovation report. STEM has a
significant role to play in achieving the goals contained within this framework
and is working with the business, research and education communities to
get there.
TRLabs
Since its inception in 1986 as a not-for-profit entity, TRLabshas
evolved to become Canada’s largest Information and Communications
Technology (ICT) applied research consortium. It operates a tripartite
partnership between industry, academia, and government, with activities
spanning Western Canada, particularly Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
TRLabs’ headquarters
are in Edmonton, and it has physical laboratory locations in Edmonton,
Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. The five labs employ university
professors, graduate students, industrial partners and staff researchers.
TRLabscreates
innovative technologies and trains students to enhance ICT expertise
and improve Canada’s global competitiveness. Activities
focus on applied research, application development, prototype development,
technology demonstration, testing, verification and certification,
and pre-commercialization assistance.
Over the last 20 years, TRLabshastrained
840 students, commercialized 310 technologies and issued and/or filed
160 patents.
