Feds invest $10M in aerospace research facilities in Winnipeg
by Canadian Manufacturing.com Staff
Two research facilities run by Winnipeg's Red River College in partnership with MRO provider StandardAero will benefit from federal funds; an initiative aimed at bolstering Manitoba's aerospace cluster, Canada's third largest
WINNIPEG—Federal officials have announced a $10 million investment for Winnipeg’s Red River College (RRC), funds which will expand the college’s Centre for Aerospace Technology and Training (CATT) and create a new space at RRC’s Notre Dame Campus—the Smart Factory.
RRC is contributing $1.2 million to the new projects while StandardAero—an Arizona-based aerospace maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) provider with operations in Winnipeg—will be kicking in $4.5 million, for a total investment of over $15 million.
Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD), the federal regional development agency funding the projects, says the Smart Factory will connect aerospace and other manufacturing organizations with specialized equipment and new technology to support advanced manufacturing processes, as well as providing skills training for students.
The CATT is an industrial campus co-located at StandardAero’s Winnipeg Plant 5 facility where new processes and materials are tested. WD says this facility, one of three of its kind in North America, encourages resource-sharing and the use of emerging technologies.
This investment will result in expanded research and training opportunities in areas such as robotics, digital manufacturing and industrial networking, says WD.
“The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring manufacturing and aerospace sectors remain a source of well-paying jobs in Manitoba. By expanding the technological capabilities at Red River College, we are helping to align the needs of industry with the expertise of post-secondary institutions,” said Navdeep Bains, minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and minister responsible for Western Economic Diversification Canada.
Manitoba is home to the third largest aerospace cluster in Canada, employing more than 5,100 people.
“These new facilities will put our students and industry partners in aerospace and manufacturing at the forefront of research and training. This is a very strategic investment on the part of the Government of Canada that will help Red River College continue to develop Manitoba-grown industry leaders and innovations,” said Paul Vogt, president and CEO, Red River College.
