Released on June 3, 1996
Premier Roy Romanow and Dr. Dennis Johnson, University of SaskatchewanAssociate Vice-President, today said they are very pleased that the
Canadian Institute for Synchrotron Radiation (CISR) is recommending
Saskatoon as the site for Canada's first synchrotron light source
research facility.
"The establishment of a $115-million synchrotron facility here would
create up to 85 highly-skilled and scientific jobs and would be a major
step for the research community and provide many economic spinoff
benefits for not only Saskatoon, but the entire province," Romanow
said.
The CISR represents the industrial and academic community of
synchrotron radiation users from across Canada. At a meeting in
Saskatoon this past weekend, the institute endorsed the recommendations
of an international blue-ribbon committee of experts established to
review competing bids for the project put forward by the University of
Saskatchewan and the University of Western Ontario.
"We are delighted with the institute's decision," Dr. Johnson said.
"Ultimately, the Saskatchewan bid was more cost competitive than the
Ontario bid. We already have the advantage of having the existing
linear accelerator, which contributes to an overall cost advantage of
$40 million on this project. We also have the expertise to design,
build and operate a national synchrotron light source.
"In addition, the province of Saskatchewan's commitment to the project
and the role of the City of Saskatoon were key to our bid for the
synchrotron light source."
"Saskatoon already has an international reputation in research and
biotechnology," Saskatoon City Councillor Peter McCann said. "This
facility will bring researchers from throughout Canada and around the
world to Saskatoon with the potential to encourage the further
expansion of high-tech companies in our city."
A synchrotron produces electromagnetic radiation creating varying
wavelengths of extremely bright light beams. Due to the nature of the
beams, a synchrotron allows research into and manipulation of small
molecular structures. This has a number of pure and applied research
applications such as: the study of oil particles for enhanced oil
recovery; determining the structure of viruses; medical imaging;
studying and changing the structures of semiconductors; development of
new drugs; and safer pesticides.
"The decision by the institute confirms our belief that Saskatchewan
has a key strength in high-technology research. Our expanding
biotechnology sector and our world-class research capacity at the
University of Saskatchewan were key factors in the decision," Romanow
said. "By making an investment in the synchrotron facility the
provincial government is helping to build in an area of proven strength
which will in turn increase the opportunities for further growth in
research and technology."
"Canada is currently the only industrialized nation without a
synchrotron facility," said Dr. Johnson. "Having a national facility
available to Canadian researchers is important for the country's future
competitiveness."
A commitment of $38.4 million toward the project's cost has already
been made by the University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta,
the City of Saskatoon, the province, and industry. The universities
will contribute $22.7 million, including facilities; the province will
provide $10.5 million; industry, $4 million; and the City of Saskatoon,
$1.2 million.
"We were fortunate in having an early commitment from industry and we
expect the funding from industry to grow if Saskatoon is confirmed as
the only Canadian site for this important facility," said Romanow.
The Premier noted that the institute's recommendation must still be
approved by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and
the federal government must approve its share of the cost.
"Although there are still steps to go, we would not have made it this
far without the tremendous effort of the local bid committee and the
University," Romanow said. "I am optimistic about the eventual outcome
as this process was created by the federal government and I expect that
it would respect the process it has established."
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For more information, contact:
Dr. Dennis Johnson Dr. Dennis Scopik
Associate Vice-President, Research Director, Saskatchewan
University of Saskatchewan Accelerator Lab
Saskatoon Phone (306) 966-8514 University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon
Phone: (306) 966-8514
Clare Kirkland
Deputy Minister
Saskatchewan Economic Development
Regina Phone: (306) 787-9580