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Government of Canada invests in research and development for technologies behind 5G networks

Sunday, 27 January 2019 04:37.PM

- Investment will help make Canada a leader in the 21st century digital economy.

As demand for all things connected increases—from self-driving cars to smart homes—our wireless technology infrastructure needs to keep pace. That's why we are about to see fifth-generation (5G) wireless technology—a leap that will unlock massive innovation potential and create well-paying jobs across Canada.

On January 25, 2019, Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced a $40-million investment in Nokia Canada, a world leader in telecommunications equipment.

"Our government wants all Canadians and Canadian businesses to benefit from the advantages of the digital economy. Nokia's projects will help businesses embrace the new wireless technology, creating more jobs across the country and helping Canada lead in today's economy."
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

The investment will help maintain a Nokia workforce in Canada of over 2,000 employees and create another 237 jobs. It will support Nokia's projects, over a multi-year term valued at $214.6 million, based in Kanata and Mississauga, Ontario. Nokia's products will improve how data is routed and how optical networks are managed. The company will develop cybersecurity tools to protect telecommunications networks and establish a new Nokia Bell Labs presence in Canada to conduct research to help telecommunications networks meet the needs of 5G technology.

"Investing in innovative companies like Nokia is part of our government's plan to grow the economy and create well-paying middle-class jobs for Ontarians. As Nokia is a world leader in 5G technology, its commitment to Ottawa and Ontario is a testament to the kind of quality work that this region is capable of. This is a great demonstration of how Canada can lead in the technology economy."
– Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence

Nokia's initiatives will help deliver unique applications across the 5G infrastructure, customized to the needs of consumers, small and medium-sized enterprises, and large companies alike. These initiatives will augment Nokia's end-to-end portfolio, strengthening its ability to deliver world-class 5G networks locally, to Canadian service providers, and around the globe.

This federal investment is being made through the Strategic Innovation Fund, a program designed to attract and support high-quality business investments in Canada's most dynamic and innovative sectors.

"Nokia has an established history of innovation in Canada, and we are delighted with the support shown to us by the Canadian government. As 5G begins to be deployed at scale, the innovation developed in Canada will have world-wide impact."
– Richard Herald, President, Nokia Canada

Quick facts

- Nokia's Ottawa location has its roots in the 1986 start-up Newbridge Networks, which was purchased by Alcatel in 2000. Lucent Technologies and Alcatel merged in 2006, and in 2016 Nokia purchased Alcatel-Lucent.
- More specifically, this investment will support Nokia's capabilities in optical, IP routing and software offerings, which are critical to delivering end-to-end 5G networks.
- Nokia will also establish a Bell Labs presence in Canada, focusing on artificial intelligence and machine learning research and incorporating these new capabilities into networking solutions.
- Mobile data traffic is expected to increase sevenfold between 2016 and 2021, and 5G will enable widespread adoption of new technologies such as autonomous vehicles and smart applications based on the Internet of Things.
- The information and communications technologies (ICT) sector is an important part of Canada's economy, contributing $76 billion to the GDP in 2017.
- In addition to the Strategic Innovation Fund, there are hundreds of programs and services to help businesses innovate, create jobs and grow Canada's economy. With its simple, story-based user interface, the Innovation Canada platform can match businesses with the most fitting programs and services in about two minutes.


SOURCE: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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