Government of Canada invests $4.5 million to support the growth and evolution of NORCAT’s underground innovation centre

SUDBURY – The world is changing rapidly. The international rules-based order is fading, and technological change is expanding the fields of conflict. In response, Canada’s new government is focused on what we can control to protect Canada’s sovereignty, build our prosperity, and strengthen our strategic autonomy.

Today, Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury, announced a Government of Canada investment of $4.5 million to support a major expansion of NORCAT’s underground innovation centre. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor.

Once complete, the expanded underground facility will replicate complex mining and defence-related environments so partners and businesses can validate new systems and technologies. This includes autonomous systems, advanced communications, sensing technologies, robotics, AI-enabled analytics, GPS-denied navigation, dual-use technologies, and more.

Identified as a strategic priority, this FedNor-funded expansion will pave the way for NORCAT to pursue formal accreditation as a testing and validation site for the Canadian Armed Forces and NATO-aligned defence partners. It will also provide businesses such as Komatsu with access to enhanced and large-scale testing environments, while strengthening Canada’s capacity to develop, test, validate, and commercialize dual-use technologies relevant to defence, security, infrastructure, and critical minerals.

‎Funded through the Government of Canada’s Regional Defence Investment Initiative, the underground centre’s expansion will also allow NORCAT to generate new revenue, support up to 50 percent more projects annually and provide hands-on training required to build a skilled workforce and the competencies needed to adopt and deploy emerging technologies across the defence, mining, and industrial sectors.

This strategic initiative supports the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthen Canadian businesses, reduce reliance on U.S. suppliers, and build domestic capacity for defence manufacturing and services. It also aligns with the federal government’s Defence Investment Strategy, a $6.6-billion plan to prioritize building military equipment at home, hike the share of defence contracts awarded to Canadian firms and add up to 125,000 new jobs over the next decade.

Quotes

“Canada was built by Canadians, and our defence industry is no different. By supporting domestic efforts to grow our armed forces through the Buy Canada plan for supplying the military, we are investing in Canada and in Northern Ontario. This will create real opportunities for businesses and workers, here at home. When we empower Canadian industries to thrive, we contribute to a safer future for all generations.” – The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Jobs and Families and Minister responsible for FedNor

“Greater Sudbury has the potential to become a defence powerhouse, and organizations like NORCAT are a big reason we are at the forefront. This federal investment of $4.5 million supports the evolution of Canada’s only underground centre that can replicate complex mining and defence-related environments and accommodate large-scale equipment and testing. This puts Sudbury on the short list as a potential testing and validation site for the Canadian Armed Forces and NATO-aligned partners. This is not only an investment in Northern Ontario, it’s an investment in Canada’s sovereignty and our collective future.” – Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament for Sudbury

“NORCAT is proud to be a locally-driven organization that promotes, educates, and supports entrepreneurs, innovators, and workers. Thanks to support from FedNor and the Government of Canada, we are taking things to the next level. This major expansion of our underground centre will allow us to help our clients with larger-scale projects and pursue exciting opportunities in Canada’s defence sector. Our impact is measured by the success of our partners, and we are proud to help them achieve excellence.” – Greg Major, Director, NORCAT Underground Centre