DALSA Corporation, a Waterloo, Ont.-based provider of digital imaging products, says it will invest $160 million in new research and development initiatives over the next five years, supported by a grant of up to $24.3 million from the Ontario government.

The company says that the new technology created by these investments will fuel its growth through diversification, even as the company builds on core strengths in digital imaging and advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Areas of particular focus include imaging in non-visible bands, such as X-ray and infrared. These new technologies will help DALSA expand into growing markets such as medical, defence and security imaging, as well as new areas of industrial imaging.

"This initiative is about our growth and our future," said Brian Doody, DALSA's CEO. "As one of the top 60 R&D spenders in Canada, we are accustomed to making long-term investments in technology, but this program represents new areas of focus for us. We know that by extending and combining elements of the imaging and MEMS technology in which we already excel, we can develop completely new products to give us access to a number of large, attractive markets adjacent to those we already serve. The investment by the province will help get us there, and along the way we plan to create over 100 new high-tech jobs here in Waterloo over the next five years. We appreciate the commitment the provincial government continues to make towards technology leadership and prosperity in Ontario."