Kick-off for the INQ science complex at Université Laval

Additional funding of $8 million from the Government of Canada and $14.63 million from the Government of Quebec completes the budget required to build the Institut nordique du Québec (INQ) science complex. The $105 million project will soon be put out to tender for construction on the Université Laval campus.

Scheduled to be operational in 2026, this scientific complex, the only one of its kind in Canada, is positioned as a North American hub for collaborative northern and Arctic research. It will include several cutting-edge analytical laboratories, as well as a logistics center for the preparation of maritime and land-based Arctic missions. In addition to facilitating major interdisciplinary research projects, the complex will foster synergy between the academic, private and public sectors, and enrich the training of the next generation of researchers.

The convergence of knowledge in this building, with a gross surface area of 9,865 m2, will promote multiple research spin-offs, while giving prime importance to social acceptability, community participation and the valorization of local knowledge at the very heart of research. The complex will also house a multi-purpose room, a broadcasting and creation room, and an open space designed to host events and exhibitions highlighting the aspirations of First Peoples and the various issues related to the North.

A $105 M flagship project

Under previous federal government commitments, $25.6 million had been allocated to the science complex project. With today's announcement of an additional $8 million, the federal contribution to the INQ science complex project has now risen to $33.6 million. At the same time, the provincial government is contributing a total of $42.13 million, including inputs of $27.5 million and $8 million from Société du Plan Nord, and $6.63 million from the Programme de soutien aux organismes de recherche et d'innovation of the Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Innovation et de l'Énergie.

For its part, Université Laval is committed to supporting the project to the tune of $29.27 million from other partners and donors, of which $12.5 million has already been confirmed: $5 million from the City of Québec and $7.5 million from philanthropic sources. The total budget for the INQ complex project is $105 million.

"This new pavilion will play a central role in the international influence of northern and Arctic research, positioning the INQ and Université Laval as key players in this field. It will be a tangible symbol of Quebec's leadership in Northern and Arctic research, and a platform for international exchanges aimed at promoting the sustainable development of the North," said Université Laval Rector Sophie D'Amours.

The new funding was announced at a press conference held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the University of the Arctic, an international event hosted this week by the INQ and Université Laval.

In the context of the fourth annual meeting of the University of the Arctic, which was attended by representatives from 15 countries, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health and MNA for Québec City, and Jonatan Julien, Minister responsible for Infrastructure and the Capitale-Nationale region and MNA for Charlesbourg, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry and Minister responsible for the Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine regions, and Joël Lightbound, MNA for Louis-Hébert, in the presence of Sophie D'Amours, Rector of Université Laval, announced a joint contribution of $41.6 million to Université Laval for two flagship projects. In addition to the $22.6 million for the Institut nordique du Québec complex, $19 million was granted to Carrefour International Brian-Mulroney. These infrastructure initiatives reinforce Université Laval's leadership in northern and international studies.

About Institut nordique du Québec (INQ)

Institut nordique du Québec (INQ) brings together Québec expertise in the major sectors of northern and Arctic research, to promote sustainable development in the North. INQ's vision reflects the desire and determination of its partners to develop a sustainable North based on the foundations of knowledge. Based on the integration of scientific knowledge and community knowledge, including Aboriginal knowledge, in partnership with the public and private sectors, INQ aims to develop a Canadian Arctic and a Northern Quebec for future generations: including clean energy, healthy ecosystems, viable infrastructures, a prosperous economy, vibrant cultures, and adapted education and health systems. INQ brings together 15 Quebec universities and their 90 research centers, more than 250 researchers, as well as representatives of the 4 Indigenous nations of Northern Quebec (Inuit, Cree, Innu and Naskapi), and numerous partners from the public and private sectors.

ULAVAL PRESS RELEASE

image : GROUPE NORDI-CITÉ SAUCIER + PERROTTE / GLCRM ARCHITECTES