Federal cash beams new life into local labs

May 10, 2009

The Calgary Sun

Scientific laboratories in Calgary received a $10.6-million boost from the federal government yesterday aimed at upgrading and modernizing them.

Calgary West MP Rob Anders announced funding of $7.2 million for the Geological Survey of Canada Laboratories and $3.4 million for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency laboratory over the next two years. "The work done here on behalf of Canadians is extraordinary," he said. "The upgrades to these working environments will make all the work that goes on here much easier in the future."

The funding is part of $250 million provided over the next two years through Canada's Economic Action Plan to modernize federal laboratories.

And, Anders said over those next two years the maintenance projects to the labs will create new jobs for workers.

The dated Geological Survey of Canada, which is the country's leading agency for geoscientific information and research, built in 1967, is pleased to be recognized with the cash, said divisional operations manager Suzanne Twelker.

"This investment will enable us to deal with a number of deferred maintenance projects that will bring the building up to code (and) make it more energy efficient," she said.

"With these funds we will be able to make this a state-of-the-art facility that will help us attract new talent and be better positioned to tackle questions that are relevant and important to the energy sector."