Grant: Technology Access Centre

Cambrian College's proposed Technology Access Centre will be known as the Centre for Smart Mining (CSM). It will service small and medium-sized enterprises and large end users in the mining industry in northeastern Ontario, along with firms across the province and Canada. Mining is a part of Canadas historical bedrock, but its also a significant part of its economic future. From the first large-scale industrial extraction of mineral resources in the 18th century, Canada has become a world leader in mining. Globally, Canada is one of the leading mining countries and one of the largest producers of minerals and metals. The challenge confronting the mining industry is that it has been slower to adopt the digital revolution than other sectors. The shift in mining has been more cumbersome because of how difficult it is to adopt new technologies in a sector where the scale and complexity of its operations make these types of step changes prohibitive. The majority of mines are still using legacy technology and face the growing need to drive operations deeper underground, with easily attainable costs and productivity savings becoming more difficult to obtain. Located in Sudbury, Ontario, which has been dubbed the "Silicon Valley of the mining sector", the Centre for Smart Mining will work with SMEs and end users to help them close their innovation gaps through applied research, specialized training opportunities, and access to HQP and equipment.