The federal government is investing $5 million into a project at Ontario Tech University aimed at enhancing a research and testing lab in Oshawa focused on defence technology.
This funding will support the ACE Climatic Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel, which is designed to test various vehicles under simulated extreme weather conditions.
<p“With the funds, the lab will be able to test heavier and larger vehicles being developed for defence purposes,” said Les Jacobs, the university’s vice-president of research and innovation.
“It really is moving ACE to the kind of world-class facility that all of us here at the university … have long envisioned,” Jacobs stated during an announcement on Tuesday.
The project will also increase the lab’s ability to assess aerospace technologies and drones, he mentioned.
MP Ryan Turnbull, who represents Whitby, noted that the ACE expansion will boost Canada’s supply chain. He explained that Canadian companies in automotive, aerospace, and defence sectors will be able to introduce new technologies more rapidly.
“It will give Canadian innovators a home-field advantage,” Turnbull added.
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MP Ryan Turnbull, who represents Whitby, said the ACE expansion will help Canadian companies bring new technologies to the market more quickly. (Mark Bochsler/CBC)
Jacobs indicated that the total cost for this expansion project is around $9 million, which includes contributions from other partners like the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association.
The association’s president, Flavio Volpe, stated that ACE offers an ideal environment for businesses transitioning from high-volume civilian vehicle production to specialized defence manufacturing.
“That has to happen in a place where you’re not worried about every dollar getting a return,” he expressed.
Volpe emphasized that ACE provides a low-risk academic space for companies to experiment with their vehicles and learn from their errors.
Can Oshawa really become a hub for national defence?After GM’s shift cut earlier this year, local officials in Oshawa believe their city could turn into a national defence center. CBC’s Rochelle Rochelle Raveendran details what makes it promising.
This news comes just one year after Oshawa submitted a proposal positioning itself as a future leader in defense technology.
The proposal emphasized ACE as an approved test center within NATO’s DIANA network – allowing NATO countries and industry partners to evaluate their defense equipment there.
“That blueprint we created … is something that is starting to take life and beginning to pay great dividends,” said city and regional councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, who led this initiative.
He mentioned ongoing discussions with both federal and provincial governments regarding additional opportunities outlined in their plan including Northwood Business Park – an area spanning 202 hectares in north Oshawa that’s ready for development focused on defense needs.
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Funding follows Oshawa’s proposal to feds
This announcement comes as part of recent federal defence spending decisions following February’s disclosure of its defence industrial strategy. The $6.6-billion strategy outlines goals for the next decade, including purchasing and maintaining most military equipment domestically. WATCH | Oshawa wants to be a leader in Canada’s defence sector:
Can Oshawa really become a hub for national defence?After GM’s shift cut earlier this year, local officials in Oshawa believe their city could turn into a national defence center. CBC’s Rochelle Rochelle Raveendran details what makes it promising.
This news comes just one year after Oshawa submitted a proposal positioning itself as a future leader in defense technology.
The proposal emphasized ACE as an approved test center within NATO’s DIANA network – allowing NATO countries and industry partners to evaluate their defense equipment there.
“That blueprint we created … is something that is starting to take life and beginning to pay great dividends,” said city and regional councillor Tito-Dante Marimpietri, who led this initiative.
He mentioned ongoing discussions with both federal and provincial governments regarding additional opportunities outlined in their plan including Northwood Business Park – an area spanning 202 hectares in north Oshawa that’s ready for development focused on defense needs.Source link
