Program directory · National Research Council Canada
Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre
- Department
- National Research Council Canada
- Program code
- BNQ27 (NRC)
- Core responsibility
- Science and Innovation
- In Departmental Plans
- 2024-25 – 2026-27 · New since an earlier plan
What it does
The Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre is the only compound semiconductor foundry in North America that is publicly operated and open to all for use. The Centre enhances the security of the semiconductor supply chain in North America by strengthening domestic research and development, supporting commercialization of emerging technologies and increasing fabrication capacity. The Centre also supports the development, growth, competitiveness and resiliency of Canada’s semiconductor industry, as well as emerging needs from key sectors of the economy (e.g., telecom/datacom, AI/high performance computing, quantum). The Centre applies cutting-edge expertise to Canadian industries for the design, prototype testing and validation of technology solutions to give them a competitive edge for new market opportunities and growth. The Centre reduces start-up and product development costs, and de-risks technology for client firms and venture capital investors, which is helping Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises grow and increase Canadian share in the semiconductor market. The Centre also provides multi-disciplinary collaborative research and development services in addition to specialized technical services in state-of-the-art facilities. This enhances the capabilities of clients and collaborators, and advances the Canadian pipeline of science, technology, engineering and mathematics talent through training of highly qualified personnel.
Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.
History and lineage
First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2024-25. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).
| Program | Relation | Years with data | Actual spending over those years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre | This program | 2024-25 – 2028-29 | $56.8M |
No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.
Significant changes in scope and budget
Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.
| Year | What changed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Planned spending $18.9M, against $56.8M in 2024-25 (−67%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
| 2026-27 | Planned spending $45.5M, against $18.9M in 2025-26 (+140%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
| 2027-28 | Planned employees (FTEs) 0, against 80 in 2026-27 (−100%). | FTEs (GC InfoBase) |
| 2027-28 | Planned spending $25.8M, against $45.5M in 2026-27 (−43%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
| 2028-29 | Planned spending $0, against $25.8M in 2027-28 (−100%). | Latest Departmental Plan |
Success criteria
The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.
Historical: targets against results
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | ≥ $12.4M | 2025 | $10.2M The CPFC is undertaking a facility revitalization project which will improve its capability to serve clients and support and grow the photonics sector in Canada. The lower-than-expected performance result is due to the construction for the expansion of the facility and installation of major equipment affecting operations. The revitalization project is progressing, which will strengthen client eng… | Not met |
Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets
Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.
| Report year | Target | Due | Result | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | ≥ $17.3M | 2027 | — | Planned |
Future goals: targets due after 2026-27
No targets with a later due date.
Spending and employees: planned against actual
Spending
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | $38.7M | $56.8M |
| 2025-26 | $18.9M | — |
| 2026-27 | $45.5M | — |
| 2027-28 | $25.8M* | — |
| 2028-29 | $0* | — |
Employees (FTEs)
Show the numbers
| Fiscal year | Planned | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 70 | 75 |
| 2025-26 | 74 | — |
| 2026-27 | 80 | — |
| 2027-28 | 0* | — |
| 2028-29 | 0* | — |
Planned spending, plan by plan
Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans
| Plan | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 plan | $38,715,715 | $18,802,678 | $16,327,711 | ||
| 2025-26 plan | $18,935,133 | $16,459,429 | $16,457,904 | ||
| 2026-27 plan | $45,501,450 | $25,839,108 | $0 | ||
| Actual | $56,831,089 |
Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.
