The Ontario government has announced an investment of up to $14.9 million for the Waterloo-based Quantum Valley Ideas Lab (QVIL).
The investment, which is being made through the province’s $107-million Critical Technology Initiatives program, is aimed to ramp up the development and adoption of quantum science tech in Ontario.
Investment is being made through the province’s $107-million Critical Technology Initiatives program.
QVIL will use the new funding to add to its existing lab infrastructure and continue its research in quantum sensing. The lab will also use the investment to offer co-op and internship programs for postdoctoral students and new graduates, which will see them develop and test quantum technologies and generate intellectual property.
In a statement, CEO of QVIL Nick Werstiuk said the latest investment “will play a key role in building a world class quantum sensing ecosystem” in Ontario.
“We are proud to be part of these efforts to support the development, commercialization and adoption of quantum technologies and to grow the infrastructure and talent needed to advance Ontario’s leadership role in this critical sector,” Werstiuk added.
QVIL, an independent not-for-profit research lab, was created in 2016 with a $20-million commitment from BlackBerry founders Mike Lazaridis and Doug Fregin. The lab, housed at the University of Waterloo’s northern campus, focuses on research, training, and supporting quantum science academics.
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QVIL is a member of the Quantum Valley, an ecosystem that includes the Institute for Quantum Computing, Quantum Valley Investments, and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics.
This is not the first time QVIL has received government funding. In 2019, the lab was one of four projects in the Kitchener-Waterloo region to receive a cumulative $41 million in funding from the federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development. QVIL reportedly received the lion’s share of that investment.
The federal and provincial governments have taken a keen interest in the emerging field of quantum computing and science in recent months. Last year, the federal government unveiled a $360-million National Quantum Strategy in January, which seeks to position Canada as a global frontrunner in quantum computing.
Quebec’s government has also recently invested in the space. Over the fall, the Quebec and federal governments jointly invested over $7.6 million to launch a new quantum testbed in the province.
Feature image courtesy QVIL.
