Prime Minister Justin Trudeau opens NAIT's Productivity and Innovation Centre

Published on September 05, 2018

EDMONTON – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau today opened NAIT’s newest facility, the state-of-the-art Productivity and Innovation Centre (PIC).

Built with a $34.9 million contribution from the federal government’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, the centre will be NAIT’s front door to industry. PIC will be the place where industry comes for solutions and to succeed. It will provide services that make industry more competitive. These include:

  • Introducing new technologies to businesses
  • Imagining, developing and testing new products, and improving existing ones
  • Developing applied research solutions for issues facing industry
  • Assessing and improving business practices
  • Providing workforce education, with a focus on productivity
  • Hosting conferences and events

The centre advances the work NAIT does with industry. It is an entry point – the doorway – to services and solutions that extend across multiple locations at NAIT. It is also home to NAIT’s Centre for Oil Sands Sustainability and the Centre for Sensors and System Integration as well as five other emerging research centres. The centre is designed to encourage clients, partners and staff to collaborate in the flexible space.

QUOTES

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada
“Research is the foundation for the positive change that we’re going to see in the months and years to come – whether it’s technology we won’t be able to imagine our days without, or jobs for our young people. We will continue to invest in state-of-the-art facilities and learning spaces – like the Productivity and Innovation Centre – to not only create jobs today, but to prepare Canadians for the good, middle class jobs of tomorrow.”

Dr. Glenn Feltham, NAIT president and CEO
“NAIT’s new Productivity and Innovation Centre is transformational. The new space, along with our integrated approach to Industry Solutions, will elevate our long-standing partnerships with industry and business. NAIT is the place organizations and companies will come to be more innovative, productive and competitive, in Alberta and beyond. This project would not have been possible without a generous contribution from the Government of Canada – we are extremely appreciative of their support.”

QUICK FACTS

  • PIC is one of North America’s largest innovation spaces
  • Construction on the 17,650-square-metre building was completed in 18 months.
  • Equipment in PIC includes an advanced, 3D metal printer that is unique in western Canada, a five-axis waterjet cutter and an environmental chamber to test extreme temperatures and humidity.
  • The non-destructive testing lab in PIC is a national testing centre and industry education space for the energy sector.