Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, has announced C$59.9m in government funding to support semiconductor projects from IBM Canada and the MiQro Innovation Collaborative Centre (C2MI) in a bid to boost domestic manufacturing.
With a total value of C$226.5m, the projects set to receive the financial capital will support quantum technology research and new manufacturing capacity and capabilities at IBM Canada’s semiconductor packaging facility in Bromont, Quebec.
IBM Canada’s Bromont plant is one of North America’s largest chip assembly and testing facilities, having operated in the region for 52 years. The facility transforms advanced semiconductor components into microelectronic solutions, playing a key role in IBM’s semiconductor R&D leadership.
On top of the manufacturing boost, it is thought that the projects will also create more than 280 new highly skilled jobs in the Bromont region. IBM Canada and C2MI will also support future Canadian technology leaders in semiconductor packaging and quantum technologies by providing up to 240 co-op positions.
Darío Gil, Senior Global Vice-President at IBM, said, “With the demand for compute surging in the age of AI, advanced packaging and chiplet technology is becoming critical for the acceleration of AI workloads.”
“As one of the largest chip assembly and testing facilities in North America, IBM’s Bromont facility will play a central role in this future. We are proud to be working with the governments of Canada and Quebec towards those goals and to build a stronger and more balanced semiconductor ecosystem in North America and beyond.”
In 2021, Canada’s Semiconductor Council released Canada’s Roadmap to 2050: Canada’s Semiconductor Action Plan to build a chip-fuelled economy by 2050.
The action plan made several recommendations based on four overwatching goals: strengthen and diversify the supply chain, develop onshore manufacturing, establish a unique specialisation and brand in Canada, foster innovation, and support market development.
François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science, and Industry, highlighted the importance of the funding, stating that semiconductors are part of everyday life and that the investment supports innovators, jobs, and the industry.
He continued, “Canada is set to play a larger role in the global semiconductor industry thanks to projects like those we are announcing today. When we invest in semiconductor and quantum technologies, we invest in economic security.”
The announcement also builds on other recent federal initiatives to grow Canada’s semiconductor supply chain, including a $90m boost for the National Research Council of Canada’s Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre and $36m that was awarded to semiconductor manufacturer Ranovus from the Strategic Innovation Fund.
Canada’s semiconductor sector includes over 500 homegrown and multinational companies conducting research, development, and manufacturing of microchips. This includes over 100 design firms, 30 applied research laboratories, and five manufacturing facilities.
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