Vaudreuil-Dorion will be the site of a new $434-million Ericsson technology centre that is expected to be built and operational by 2015.
Ericsson Canada will build a $434-million technology centre in Vaudreuil-Dorion that’s expected to be up and running by 2015. (Photo: courtesy of Ericsson Canada)
Mayor on hand for massive announcement
Vaudreuil-Dorion mayor Guy Pilon was on hand Monday morning in Montreal when Premier Pauline Marois announced what has been called one of the biggest technology sector investments in provincial history. According to a June 3, 2013 press release issued by Ericsson Canada, the Swedish based communications technology giant will build a global ICT Centre in Vaudreuil-Dorion to support its R&D and Services organization. Ericsson says the move will help it “bring innovation faster to the market.”
The company says the approximately 40,000-square-meter facility will house Ericsson’s complete portfolio.
The move will enable the R&D organization to develop and verify solutions and enable the foundation of the next generation of technology and cloud-based services.
The new state-of-the-art centre will group two of Ericsson’s existing R&D hubs in Montreal and Ottawa in close proximity.
It will serve as a new hub for Ericsson’s R&D engineers. More than 50 jobs, mainly for engineers, are expected to be created.
Benefit to customers
And the new superstructure means Ericsson’s customers will also be able to connect remotely for interoperability testing and trials, according to the press release.
Customers will also have early access to innovative realtime new business services.
Calling Monday a “special day,” Ericsson Canada President Mark Henderson said the new centre will be an “important foundation” for the company that has been doing business in Canada for the past 60-years.
“The ICT Centre represents our commitment to the region and will contribute to building the ICT ecosystem and competence in Canada.”
Marois, meanwhile, said in the release that Quebec depends on such opportunity.
“The future of Quebec and the greater Montreal area relies on the knowledge base, the training opportunities and the skills available locally,” Marois said.
The North American ICT Centre is expected to be up and running by 2015.
Ericsson employees 3,100 people in Canada. It provides funding for R&D projects at more than 15 Canadian universities and colleges.
Students are also given the chance to gain hands-on experience at Ericsson’s facilities.
Worldwide Ericsson employs more than 110,000 people in excess of 180 countries. Ericsson is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. It was founded in 1876.
