The government of Canada, along with the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, have announced the formation of a partnership with global technology heavyweights designed to advance the development of 5G technologies.
Canada is hoping the $400 million project will help to ensure the nation’s infrastructure keeps pace with advancements.
Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, says:
“Technology is changing the way we live, work and engage with one another, and we are in a global innovation race. To prepare for the future, we must be bold, visionary and decisive.
That’s why our government is investing in 5G technology. This investment in next-generation wireless technology will help make Canada a global innovation leader and secure 4,000 jobs.”
The project’s name is ENCQOR which is a more wieldy acronym for Evolution of Networked Services through a Corridor in Québec and Ontario for Research and Innovation. It will be led by five global digital technology heavyweights — Ericsson, Ciena Canada, Thales Canada, IBM Canada and CGI.
Reza Moridi, Ontario Minister of Research, Innovation and Science, comments:
“This exciting 5G initiative will help our businesses here in Ontario—and across Canada—capitalize on the vast potential of high-speed communications technology to expand their horizons, accelerate their innovation, and transform the way we all live and do business.”
ENCQOR will help to unleash 5G’s potential in Canada by providing a testbed for their products and services. Around 1,000 small and medium-sized businesses are estimated to be able to use the 5G platform for research.
Around 4,000 middle-class jobs, including 1,500 specialist 5G roles, are expected to be created from ENCQOR over the next five years.
What are your thoughts on the ENCQOR partnership? Let us know in the comments.
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