NAIT receives nearly $35M in federal funding for new centre

Oct. 28 2016 – The Northern Alberta Institute for Technology (NAIT) will receive $34.9 million for a new Productivity and Innovation Centre under the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (SIF).

According to the statement from the institution, the centre will create “modern and innovative training and research opportunities for students and industry to develop, test and commercialize new technologies and products that will help Alberta and Canada diversify the economy, compete globally and improve environmental sustainability.”

The 15,000-square-metre facility will be home to NAIT’s Shell Manufacturing Centre, and will offer manufacturing labs, acceleration and incubation space to enable prototypes for small and medium-sized businesses, and additional space to support applied research.

“The Productivity and Innovation Centre will be the place industry comes for solutions and to succeed. It will support industry in becoming more productive and innovative. It will provide a foundation for future prosperity,” said Dr. Glenn Feltham, president and CEO, NAIT.

“These significant investments helps Alberta students put their best foot forward by maximizing new, modernized learning environments, while also addressing a need for new skills and research that are the cornerstone of a healthy, diversified economy,” noted Marlin Schmidt, minister of advanced education.

The project will cost a total of $80 million; the balance of nearly $45 million will come from philanthropy and the institution’s own infrastructure dollars, it said.