Guelph-based Linamar is part of one of the five technology groups in Canada that will get a piece of up to $950 million in what the federal government calls its “superclusters” initiative.
Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains made the announcement on Thursday and said the supercluster initiative is designed to bring together companies and other organization to generate forward-looking, job-creating ideas and innovation.
One of those technology groups is the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster based in Ontario. The proposal was led by Guelph-based Linamar Corporation on behalf of a coalition of more than 140 partners.
Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of Linamar and chair of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGM Canada), calls the focus on advanced manufacturing critical to the economic prosperity of Canada.
“The Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster presents a tremendous opportunity to bring the twin strengths of Canada’s manufacturing and technology sectors together to create sustained growth,” said Hasenfratz.
Along with advanced manufacturing, the other superclusters will focus on the ocean-based in Atlantic Canada, artificial intelligence based in Quebec, plant proteins based in the Prairies and digital technologies based in British Columbia.
The University of Waterloo said it will be a key partner in the areas of artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
“With the discoveries already made to date in Waterloo, we can only imagine what can be accomplished when our knowledge and expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing join with the power of some of Canada’s most important industrial players,” said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor.
In a tweet, the University of Guelph said it is supporting the protein supercluster.
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