Federal government announces completion of advanced materials laboratory
by CM Staff
The construction of this new facility involved up to 100 workers on-site daily, generating local economic benefits.
MISSISSAUGA — On May 16, Charles Sousa, MP for Mississauga–Lakeshore and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement announced the completion of the newly expanded TerraCanada advanced materials research facility in Mississauga, Ontario. Completed in April 2024, the expanded facility is the result of a $77-million investment in science infrastructure. The construction of this new facility involved up to 100 workers on-site daily, generating local economic benefits.
The TerraCanada advanced materials research facility consists of 2 new floors that add more than 6,000 square metres of laboratory and supporting spaces to the existing National Research Council of Canada (NRC) building. This facility brings together scientists from the NRC and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) to collaborate with federal scientists working at the complementary TerraCanada Hamilton facility located at the NRCan CanmetMATERIALS building, along with academic partners at Canadian universities and industry collaborators.
The TerraCanada facilities in Mississauga and Hamilton will use materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) to make the process of discovering and developing materials faster and more efficient, cost-effective, accurate and precise by leveraging artificial intelligence, robotics and high-performance computing. New materials are critical for creating the clean technologies needed to help Canada in meeting its emission reduction targets and growing its clean energy and manufacturing sectors.
The research carried out at the Mississauga and Hamilton facilities contributes to the objectives of the TerraCanada science hub, including:
- developing the economic potential of Canada’s land and resources in a sustainable manner
- supporting Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy
- mitigating the impacts of natural and human-made hazards on the safety and health of Canadians
The Mississauga facility will try to provide modern, sustainable and accessible laboratories and office spaces for around 100 scientists, research partners and administrative staff.
“It is essential that our scientists have access to cutting-edge, modern resources and infrastructure to conduct the research needed to keep pace with Canadian society’s evolving needs. Sustainable, collaborative facilities, such as these in Mississauga and Hamilton, are the way of the future for federal science,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services and Procurement.
