$12M in provincial funding to allow Sudbury's SNOLAB to 'invest in people'

The SNOLAB is one of several research institutes in Ontario on the receiving end of money from the provincial government.

On Tuesday, $48-million in total was announced by the Ministry of Colleges and Universities for research and innovation; $12-million of that is for SNOLAB in Greater Sudbury over a two year time period.

The underground laboratory is located two kilometres underground at Vale's Creighton Mine. Astroparticle physics experiments are conducted in cleanrooms for neutrino and dark matter studies. Scientists from all over the world come to Sudbury to conduct experiments at SNOLAB.

"The output of SNOLAB is science, fundamentally, but the science is done by large international collaborations and SNOLAB is a facility that is really hosting these international collaborations, and the experiments that they do," said Clarence Virtue the interim executive director. 

The new provincial money is not for research studies at SNOLAB, but rather for the facility and its employees to provide the expertise on setting up the experiments. Research studies are funded in other ways.

"We provide expertise in constructing world-leading experiments in the underground cleanroom environment," Virtue said. "We have 145 employees that have all this expertise that are helping out with mounting the experiments."

Canada has a reputation

 "Fundamentally, we're investing in people — in providing opportunities for bright, young scientists in Canada and around the world," Virtue said.

Canada has a strong reputation internationally, in particle physics.

"By hosting major facilities like SNOLAB in Sudbury and TRIUMF in Vancouver, we maintain and grow that reputation," Virtue added that their reputation in turn attracts and retains scientists.

Ontario attracting, developing, retaining researchers

"Ontario is committed to supporting trailblazing work that will help ensure the province remains a leader in advanced science, technology and innovation, and is a jurisdiction of choice for scientific research," said Jill Dunlop, minister of Colleges and Universities.

"With this investment, the province will be in a better position to attract, develop and retain talented researchers so we can continue making major advances and solving the complex problems facing us today, right here in Ontario," she added.

"Research, innovation, intellectual property management and commercialization are key drivers to attract and retain the brightest minds and enhance our economic competitiveness around the globe," said Vic Fedeli, minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, and member of provincial parliament for Nipissing.

"By supporting the [research institutes] we are helping Ontario become more economically resilient and a more attractive place to invest while creating the right environment to advance innovation in the province."