Canada Invests in Domestic Semiconductor and Photonics Industries

Seeking to address the semiconductor shortage, the government of Canada today invested 240 million CAD ($189.1 million) in its domestic semiconductor and photonics industries. Of the funding, 150 million CAD ($118.17 million) is designated for the Semiconductor Challenge Callout, which is designed to make targeted investments to build Canada’s industrial capacity. The National Research Council of Canada’s Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (CPFC), which provides companies with access to foundry services, test and measurement, and professional assistance, is to receive 90 million CAD ($70.9 million) in funding.

The Semiconductor Challenge Callout calls on businesses to identify ambitious, transformative proposals in research, commercialization, and the expansion of semiconductor manufacturing capacity.

The investment in the CPFC will enable critical equipment upgrades and improve the center’s capacity to address increasingly complex technologies. The center, located in Ottawa, Ontario, is 40,000 sq ft with 11,000 sq ft of class 100/1000 cleanroom space. It is the only compound semiconductor foundry in North America that is publicly operated and open for use.