NR-08.064 - September 6, 2008
HALIFAX - The Honourable Peter Gordon MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, is pleased to announce an investment of $9.6 million in funding to Defence Research and Development Canada-Atlantic (DRDC – Atlantic) to renew equipment in the dockyard laboratories operated by the organization in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Esquimalt, British Columbia.
"This investment gives DRDC - Atlantic state of the art equipment to support the Canadian Navy in its operations," said Minister MacKay. "This is one more tangible example of this government's commitment to providing the Canadian Forces and the Department of National Defence with the up-to-date tools it needs to serve Canadians."
Scientific test equipment in the two dockyard laboratories provides the Canadian Forces with mission critical support. The labs support the Forces in areas of organic and inorganic analysis, thermal analysis, polymer chemistry, mechanical and metallurgical testing, and radiography. This will enable both dockyard laboratories to fulfill their expected support mission as laid out in the DND Defence Science and Technology Strategy.
This infrastructure project will allow DRDC - Atlantic to replace existing equipment with much needed new analytical and mechanical instrumentation in the two Dockyard Laboratories (Atlantic and Pacific), on a commercial off-the-shelf equipment basis.
Both dockyard laboratories are sections of Defence Research and Development Canada Atlantic despite being located on both coasts.
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For more information, Martin Champoux DRDC Public Affairs Tel: 613-992-7237 Cell: 613-818-0285 media@drdc-rddc.gc.ca
