Canadian, Quebec governments invest $178M in microchip assembly

The Government of Canada and Quebec have awarded funding to Sherbrooke University, as part of the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, to build a centre for microelectronics innovation.”

Total investment in this project amounts to $218.45 million. Industry Canada is contributing $82.95 million, Quebec provided $94.9 million and industrial partners IBM Bromont, DALSA Semiconducteurs Inc. and equipment suppliers gave $40.6 million. The project aims to create an international centre of excellence for assembling electronic microchips and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). The centre will carry out research and development in packaging microsystems and electronic microchips. This project will bring together 250 industry and university researchers and safeguard over 3,000 jobs in the field of microelectronics in Quebec.

“The center will be a key link in the microelectronics chain and will provide Canada with a clear business advantage, by forging an innovative university-business partnership and creating a competitive and thriving business environment,” said Quebec Premier Jean Charest. “This facility will strengthen Québec’s position as a world leader in microchip packaging technologies and ensure our companies’ competitiveness.”

“This announcement stems from months of work involving Université de Sherbrooke and entrepreneurs in the sector, as well as a number of other actors, including the Québec government. The project marks the birth of a value chain that could eventually match the Québec economy’s flagship innovation sectors – life sciences, aerospace, and computer technologies. The project will reinforce the excellence of publicly funded research in Quebec,” stated Economic Development, Innovation and Export Trade Minister Clément Gignac.

“Innovation has played a fundamental role in DALSA’s past successes and is just as important to our future achievements,” said DALSA CEO Brian Doody. “So we are delighted to be a founding partner of the 200 mm and 3D microelectronic systems (MEMS) manufacturing unit at the new innovation centre.”

The mission of Centre d’innovation en microélectronique is to be an international pioneer in packaging the next generation of microchips. Its role will be to choose technologies for cutting out the microchips, linking them electrically to innovative packages (like 3D packs), managing heat dissipation and testing them and preparing them for shipment. The centre will also work on designing packages for future generations of microelectronic systems (MEMS).
www.ic.gc.ca/infrastructure-savoir
www.infrastructures.gouv.qc.ca
www.technoparcbromont.com