The Government of Ontario has announced that it will provide a grant of up to $12 million to Thales Canada to develop the next generation of signalling technology.
The contribution, which will leverage an $80 million investment from Thales, will create 126 new jobs in the province and safeguard many more.
Ontario’s Jobs and Prosperity Fund will award $2.7 billion over 10 years to projects with the potential to “enhance productivity, bolster innovation and grow Ontario’s exports”. The province also has various financial and tax incentive programmes in place to support the R&D sector.
Mark Halinaty, president and chief executive of Thales Canada Inc, said: “We are pleased to partner with Ontario as we develop the next generation of rail signalling solutions.
“The province’s welcoming investment environment and talented workforce have encouraged us to expand our operations here.”
The project will focus specifically on developing new communications-based train control (CBTC) signalling solutions.
Brad Duguid, Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure, said: “By welcoming businesses who invest in Ontario, we are able to fulfil our number-one priority of growing the economy and creating jobs.
“Our support for Thales in Canada will help it ramp up its research and development work and leverage new and innovative technologies.”
I read an article saying more than C$14bn ($10.9bn) is annually spent on R&D in Ontario, and the province is supporting the Canadian subsidiary of France-based Thales Group as it upgrades its mass rail signalling products to improve transit safety.