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Rock and Doerksen Announce $17.5 Million Funding to TRLabs for Telecommunications Research, Commercial Applications, and Training Industry, Government of Canada

Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, Government of Canada

Calgary, AB - Allan Rock, Minister of Industry, today joined with Victor Doerksen, Alberta Innovation and Science Minister, to announce funding of $17.5 million to TRLabs, Canada’s largest and most successful not-for-profit information and communications technology (ICT) research consortium. Ministers Rock and Doerksen reaffirmed their governments’ commitment to innovation in telecommunication research in Western Canada. Western Economic Diversification (WD) will contribute $10 million over the next four years to the research consortium while the Government of Alberta will provide $7.5 million over five years.

“In order for Canada to compete with the world on innovation, we need more partnerships like TRLabs,” said Minister Rock. “TRLabs is very successful in bringing the results of R&D to market, positioning Canada as a world leader in information technology.” “TRLabs solid track record demonstrates that partnerships and collaboration amongst industry, universities and government can be truly effective,” said Stephen Owen, Secretary of State (Western Economic Diversification) (Indian Affairs and Northern Development). “The organization is making a successful and significant contribution to the economy and innovation agenda in Western Canada and across the nation. It is an investment model providing new innovation and commercialization opportunities for western Canadians and is one to which WD and the Government of Canada are fully committed.”

Victor Doerksen, Minister of Innovation and Science, Government of Alberta

“We are pleased to provide renewed support for TRLabs as it enters into a new era of management and activity,” said Alberta Innovation and Science Minister Victor Doerksen. “I am confident that TRLabs will continue to play a key role in support of the government’s ICT strategy as the organization continues to train skilled workers for the future, build Alberta’s research and development capacity, and helps to position Alberta as an ICT centre of excellence.” Reginald Bird, Chairman of the Board for TRLabs, says that WD’s long-standing partnership with TRLabs is an investment in Western Canada’s future. “For 15 years, TRLabs has produced the skilled people and new technologies that have fuelled information and communications technology growth and development. TRLabs looks forward to building on its past successes and further contributing to one of the fastest growing industry sectors in Canada.”

Both the four-year federal financing agreement and the five-year provincial funding will help to ensure that all 54 members of the TRLabs research consortium will benefit from the organization’s continuing efforts to develop new technology applications, advance knowledge in information technologies and telecommunications, and train university students for productive roles in Canadian industry.

Reg Bird, TRLabs Chairman of the Board

TRLabs is the largest not-for-profit applied ICT research consortium in Canada. Headquartered in Edmonton, it operates laboratories in Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg. Federal funding sponsors include major multinational and national corporations from the information technologies and telecommunications field; the Universities of Alberta, Calgary, Manitoba, Regina and Saskatchewan; the Governments of Canada, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; and small and medium-size enterprises.

Earlier this week, the Government of Canada launched Canada’s Innovation Strategy, two papers that lay out a plan to address skills and innovation challenges for the next decade. The paper released by Industry Minister Allan Rock, entitled Achieving Excellence: Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunity, proposes goals, targets and priorities for Canada over the next decade to: create knowledge and bring ideas to the market more quickly; ensure a skilled workforce for the new economy; modernize business and regulatory policies; and strengthen communities by supporting innovation at the local level. Today’s announcement supports this strategy.

For more information about Canada’s Innovation Strategy, or to obtain a copy of either Knowledge Matters: Skills and Learning for Canadians or Achieving Excellence: Investing in People, Knowledge and Opportunity, please call 1-800-OCANADA (1-800-622-6232) or visit www.innovationstrategy.gc.ca

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