Federal Government Invests
$30 Million in High-Tech Research and Training

BC universities and companies major partners in Canada-wide network

Vancouver, October 18, 1999 -- NSERC President Tom Brzustowski today announced that the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation (CMC) will receive $30.5 million over the next five years to expand its chip design and training network for Canadian students and professors.

The award was confirmed at the meeting of NSERC Council taking place today and tomorrow at Simon Fraser University.

Simon Fraser University, the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria are all major participants in the CMC network, along with 35 other Canadian universities. On the West Coast, PMC-Sierra Inc. coordinates state-of-the-art fabrication of the innovative chips designed by professors and students. The company is one of 23 industrial partners in the program.

Secretary of State (Science, Research and Development) Dr. Gilbert Normand praised the new award. "CMC is a unique model of Canadian collaboration that is having a huge impact on the country's ability to compete in microelectronics and is helping to develop the skilled personnel that are in such great demand by Canada's high-tech industry."

"Through CMC, leading-edge technologies are introduced into the university system as fast as they are being introduced into the industries," said Greg Aasen, Chief Operating Officer of PMC-Sierra. "Our commitments directly to CMC and the universities reflect our commitment to partnering with NSERC to meet the research and staffing needs of Canada's growing semiconductor industry."

CMC, which is based at Queen's University, is also the winner of a national prize for its success in building university-industry interaction. The award, sponsored by the Conference Board of Canada and NSERC, will be presented October 22 in Calgary.

The new NSERC funding, which will run over five years, will be contingent on CMC raising $30.5 million in "in-kind" contributions, and a further $7.7 million in cash, from industry partners and other sources.

NSERC is the primary federal agency investing in people, discovery, and innovation. NSERC supports both basic university research through research grants and project research through partnerships of universities with industry. NSERC also supports the advanced training of highly qualified people in both areas.

See the backgrounder on the Canadian Microelectronics Corporation, its successes, and its partners across Canada.

For more information, contact:

Tim Nau, NSERC (in Vancouver), at (613) 725-7624 (cell phone),

Arnet Sheppard, NSERC (in Ottawa), at (613) 995-5997 axs@nserc.ca,

Sonya-Kim St-Julien, Press Secretary, Dr Gilbert Normand, at (613) 943-7032,

On behalf of 23 participating companies, Ian McWalter (Gennum Corporation), at (416) 905-632-2999 ext. 3960, ian_m@gennum.com,

On behalf of 38 participating universities, Dr. William C. Miller (University of Windsor) at (519) 253-3000 ext. 2512, wmiller@uwindsor.ca.