By Bridget Tremblay
Xstrata Nickel has announced a $1 million contribution to support the development of the Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (NORCAT) Innovation and Commercialization Park.
A $6 million fundraising goal was originally set for the park, however, that figure jumped an extra $2.9 million with the help of Xstrata’s contribution as well as other organizations that want to be a part of bringing innovation to the North.
The park will be an extension of the existing work NORCAT has provided for the past 14 years. A functional incubation centre with services including business planning advice, development funds, prototyping assistance, retail, shop, conference and storage space for entrepreneurs will be provided.
“We are really putting the theory ‘the sky is the limit’ to the test,” said Roger Emdin, manager of Xstrata Nickel’s Onaping Depth Project.
The steel structural bars are now being put in place for the 60,000-square foot facility being developed at the northeast corner of Cambrian Colleges property across from Maley Drive.
“We are committed to supporting business innovation and the economic growth of Greater Sudbury. There has always been a natural synergy between NORCAT and Xstrata,” said Emdin.
The new facility will allow NORCAT to expand services already offered, as well as provide small and medium enterprises looking to expand their markets.
“We rely heavily on partnerships in the community, and we are grateful to have Xstrata as our partner,” said Norm Lavallee, chief operating officer and NORCAT business manager.
Sylvia Barnard, president of Cambrian College and a key supporter of the Innovation and Commercialization Park, believes the college and students will benefit greatly from the park.
“Cambrian is all about economic development. The college is providing the future workforce with skills and training.
We are creating the new entrepreneurs. This new facility will provide students (with) authentic learning (from) the business establishments in the park. They will get to see what it is all about,” she said.
Darryl Lake CEO and executive director of NORCAT said the relocation to the new site is much the same as a teenager leaving home.
“This is the end of the road for us to move into our new building. There have been some tough spots along the way, but because we had parents like Cambrian, we have survived.”
Lake explained the key to the future of Sudbury is collaboration.
“The commitment of Xstrata and NORCAT is to make Sudbury the innovation commercial centre of this country, and the only way we can do that is by working together,” said Lake.
He explained that 10 years ago, Xstrata Nickel donated NORCAT’s underground centre. It allowed the not-for-profit corporation to deliver specialized training and product testing for the mining industry and small and medium enterprises in the mining sector supply chain.
“Today’s announcement of a $1 million donation illustrates how serious Xstrata Nickel is about being long-term in our community,” said Lake.
NORCAT is recognized for its technology in many areas of Ontario, Canada and the United States and has been recognized worldwide for its occupational health and safety programming.
“If you saw some of our projects you’d be surprised at how advanced this technology and this country is,” explained Lake. “Making Canada the premiere mining country in the world is the only way we can move ahead,’ said Lake.
The park is scheduled to be complete by mid-November, 2008.
