Nokia gets $72-million in government funding to build 26-acre facility in Ottawa

Ontario Construction News staff writer

Site construction will start in 2023 and be completed in 2026, transforming 26-acres at the Kanata North Business Park into a sustainable, accessible mixed-use corporate, residential and commercial complex.

The new Research and Development hub in Ottawa will help boost Canada’s “green digital future” by broadening Nokia Canada’s expertise in 5G, cyber security, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning,” the company said in a statement.

nokia 2“Nokia is helping to drive Canada’s tech leadership. This world-class, sustainable R&D hub will be one of Nokia’s most dynamic developments – and I’m proud that it will benefit the people of Ottawa also,” Nokia’s president and CEO Pekka Lundmark said in a statement. “This is an exciting day.”

The new Ottawa site will support Nokia’s global target of 50 per cent greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030 by implementing sustainable technologies, including water side heat recovery, air side heat and energy recovery, water side free cooling, and rainwater harvesting.

nokia event“Today’s announcement reinforces Nokia’s commitment to the Canadian market, where we have invested $1.4 billion in R&D over the past five years,” said Nokia Canada president Jeffrey Maddox.

Nokia says it will invest $340 million in labs and equipment, labour, and operating costs between 2023 and 2027.

nokia siteThe Government of Canada will contribute up to $40 million via its Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) and the Government of Ontario, through Invest Ontario, will fund $30 million.

The City of Ottawa, through Hydro Ottawa, will make a capital contribution of CAD 2 million for control system upgrades.

“This monumental investment from Nokia shows once again that there is no better place for businesses to grow and jobs to be created than here in Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “We are proud to work alongside our partners to secure hundreds more in demand, high skill jobs for the Ottawa region and we welcome this long term commitment from Nokia to our province, and our workers.”

Nokia Corporation is a Finland-based telecommunications giant. More than 2,100 people from across Ontario are currently employed by Nokia. The company is committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed and cloud networks.

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