The Canadian government has announced more than CA$74 million (US$52 million) in funding for quantum technology projects.

The funding will be used to support 107 initiatives spanning quantum computing, communications, encryption, materials, and sensing.

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The government said the funding package aligns with Canada’s National Quantum Strategy and will include partnerships with private and public organizations and academic institutions across a number of regional innovation hubs. International collaborations with France’s Agence nationale de la recherche (ANR) and the US National Science Foundation will also be supported by the funding.

The awarded projects will be funded via three Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) opportunities: Alliance Quantum grants which will allocate more than CA$50 million (US$34.8m) to 39 projects; Alliance Consortia Quantum grants which will provide close to CA$20 million (US$14m) awarded to four projects; and Alliance International Catalyst Quantum grants and Alliance International Collaboration Quantum grants, which will provide more than CA$4 million (US$2.8m) awarded to 64 projects.

The chosen projects will contribute to the advanced training opportunities that will also be provided to more than 500 graduates and postdoctoral fellows at post-secondary institutions across Canada.

“Canada is proud to be a global leader in quantum science and technology,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Canada’s minister of innovation, science, and industry. “By investing in top-tier research, we’re fueling innovation and keeping our country at the forefront of global competition. Today’s investment will accelerate breakthroughs in quantum computing, communications, and security, creating new opportunities for Canadian businesses and strengthening our economy.”

The announcement comes just over a month after the Canadian government launched its three-pronged investment vehicle to support the country’s AI ecosystem, dubbed the Sovereign AI Compute Strategy.

Under that scheme, the government would invest CA$2 billion ($1.4bn) over a five-year period to launch new initiatives that will give Canadian researchers and AI companies the tools they need to be competitive globally.