Canadian Nuclear Laboratories Establishing Innovation Centre in Fredericton
FREDERICTON– Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a nuclear science and technology company, announced Wednesday that it has selected Fredericton to establish its National Innovation Centre. The company says the centre will help the company significantly expand its cybersecurity research capabilities.
CNL will invest more than $3-million in equipment and security for its new Knowledge Park facility. It will also add 24 employees to its Fredericton office over five years. The company is seeking employees from a variety of disciplines, including computer science, systems engineering, applied physics and mathematics.
The new facility will conduct research and development to address the current and future challenges facing process-control systems in critical infrastructure.
“CNL is pleased to join a growing cyber cluster that is rapidly transforming New Brunswick into a cybersecurity research and innovation hub,” said Mark Lesinski, president and CEO of CNL, in a news release.
“The security of industrial control systems has become a major priority for all industries, including nuclear, and now represents a multi-billion dollar worldwide market. We are pleased with the support and partnership from the provincial government and Opportunities NB (ONB).”
The creation of up to 24 jobs would add an estimated $10.2 million to the province’s GDP over four years, says ONB.
Through Opportunities New Brunswick, CNL is eligible for an investment of $1.075 million. The investment includes $575,000 in payroll rebates, which are performance-based and disbursed annually to a company only when it has created and maintained the jobs during the year of the claim.
The company must provide proof of salary levels and employment. The remaining $500,000 is a non-repayable contribution to support capital expenditures to establish the new facility.
Growing New Brunswick’s cybersecurity has been a big focus for the provincial government over the last few years.
“Cybersecurity is identified as a growth opportunity in your government’s multi-year economic growth plan,” said New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant. “When leading companies like CNL choose New Brunswick due to our world-class infrastructure, education facilities and skilled workforce, it reinforces that our province is a leader in this important sector.”