The Ottawa Semiconductor Fab is gearing up to be a big III-V semiconductor tech campus in Ottawa, Canada, spread over 100+ acres. It's not just about making semiconductors there; it's also a spot for research, academia, and all things related to compound semiconductors.
SILICAN, in its First Steps for Canada report, mentioned the need to boost domestic chip production due to some happenings in Asia. The idea is to protect Canada's economy and security. The government has been investing heavily in clean tech, AI, and EVs, all relying heavily on advanced chips. They're saying that beefing up the domestic chip industry will make these investments even better and connect producers and users for more innovation. The suggestion is to pump resources into upgrading the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre (CPFC) to make it a major commercial fab independent of the government. They also stress the importance of building talent in different industry tiers through research and training programs.
CMC Microsystems is all about securing Canada's access to top-notch tech, safeguarding intellectual property, and ramping up local manufacturing. FABriC aims to boost onshore manufacturing with Canadian suppliers and make these processes globally available. They talk about crafting components for intelligent sensors in IoT applications like 5G, medical tech, and autonomous vehicles right from Canada. Manufacturing isn't just vital for the economy – it's crucial for stable supply chains and keeping Canadian companies competitive. Ottawa, Ontario looks all set to become a hotspot for Compound Semiconductor innovation. Local universities are pitching a facility focused on compound semiconductors teaching and research, sounding like a great investment in Ottawa's future or maybe a mix of a new spot and expanding the CPFC.
It's essential to team up to transform Ottawa into a top player in compound semiconductor manufacturing. Partnerships are the way to go to back the Ottawa-Kanata semiconductor hub, the academic scene, and the push for cutting-edge technologies like GaN power, InP LiDAR sensing, and more. Expanding EV battery projects, supporting new semiconductor ventures in the tech campus, and leveraging Ottawa's strong tech legacy to push the frontiers of autonomous vehicles are all in the pipeline.
