$120 million investment to help
CMC Microsystems expand its network across Canada, creating jobs and fostering economic
growth
MONTRÉAL, July 4, 2024
/CNW/ - Canada continues to
position itself as a global supplier of semiconductors, crucial for
security, economy and technological progress. Semiconductors are
critical to Canadians' daily lives and for current and future
innovations in nearly every industry: automotive,
telecommunications, low-carbon technology, and more.
Today, the Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry,
announced an investment of $120
million in an over $220
million project led by CMC Microsystems (CMC). This
investment, made through the Strategic Innovation Fund, will
support the creation of a pan-Canadian network bringing together
stakeholders from a wide range of fields to support the design,
manufacturing and commercialization of semiconductors and the
development of state-of-the-art intelligent sensor technology.
CMC will support the creation of the Fabrication of Integrated
Components for the Internet's Edge (FABrIC) network, which
will operate alongside CMC's partners located across Canada. FABrIC is an initiative designed to
strengthen the Canadian semiconductor and smart sensor industry by
creating a talent pool of highly qualified people, encouraging
innovation in the semiconductor manufacturing process, and
providing Canadian businesses with access to foundries. Over the
next five years, the FABrIC network will create close to 325 highly
skilled jobs across Canada and
maintain an estimated 440 jobs for the duration of the project.
With activities that will span across the country, FABrIC will
ensure a strong domestic production of semiconductors. FABrIC will
also improve North American competitiveness and supply chain
resiliency, foster economic and national security, and create good
middle-class jobs.
Quotes
"Semiconductors are at the centre of Canadians' daily lives and
Canada's economy. We have an
innovative semiconductor industry that continues to flourish in
global markets and capitalize on an increasingly digital and green
economy. The creation of FABrIC through CMC will help support
Canadian innovators, and I look forward to seeing how it expands
our semiconductor industry while creating good jobs. By investing
in semiconductors today, we are investing in economic security and
sustainability for all Canadians."
– The Honourable François-Philippe
Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
"FABrIC provides Canadian entrepreneurs and researchers with
essential resources to foster innovation and develop cutting-edge
semiconductor products and manufacturing processes in Canada. We have world-class semiconductor
talent and manufacturing capabilities in Canada, and ISED's strategic investment in
FABrIC will enable Canadian innovators to be competitive in the
global semiconductor industry. Support for FABrIC secures
Canada's future in semiconductors
and advanced manufacturing, and it will enable the development of
new made-in-Canada
semiconductor-based Internet of Things products and manufacturing
options, creating a resilient and sustainable semiconductor
ecosystem in Canada."
– Gordon Harling, President and CEO, CMC Microsystems
Quick facts
- A semiconductor, often called a chip or microchip, is a
material used for electrical conductivity. Its conductivity falls
somewhere between a conductor and an insulator, which gives it the
unique ability to control the flow of electricity in electronic
equipment and devices.
- Founded in 1984, CMC Microsystems (CMC) is a not-for-profit
organization that accelerates research and innovation in advanced
technologies, including microelectronics, photonics,
microelectromechanical systems, the Internet of Things, artificial
intelligence, and quantum software and hardware.
- FABrIC is a five-year project, totalling over $220 million, led by CMC to secure Canada's future in advanced semiconductor
manufacturing and design.
- Canada's semiconductor sector
includes over 500 homegrown and multinational companies conducting
research and development on, and manufacturing of, microchips. This
base includes over 100 design firms, 30 applied research
laboratories and 5 commercial facilities in areas such as compound
semiconductors, microelectromechanical systems and advanced
packaging.
- Demand for existing products and new innovations is expected to
contribute to the continued growth of the global semiconductor
market, which is forecast to expand from US$500 billion in 2020 to US$695 billion by 2025.
- This new Strategic Innovation Fund investment builds on the
commitment announced by Prime Minister Trudeau and U.S. President
Joe Biden in March 2023 to advance a cross-border
semiconductor manufacturing corridor.
Associated links
- Strategic Innovation Fund
- Canadian semiconductor industry
- CMC Microsystems
Stay connected
Find more services and information on the Innovation,
Science and Economic Development Canada website.
Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on
social media.
X (Twitter): @ISED_CA | Facebook: Canadian
Innovation | Instagram: @cdninnovation | LinkedIn:
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada