US, Canada plan North American chip corridor, starting with IBM expansion

The United States and Canada mentioned on Friday they’d work collectively to create a bilateral semiconductor manufacturing hall, as International Business Machine (IBM) signaled its intent to develop in Canada.

The news got here as US President Joe Biden, who’s visiting Canada, issued a joint pledge with Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau to face collectively in opposition to authoritarian regimes partially by lowering their dependence on different nations for vital minerals and semiconductors.

The Canadian authorities will spend C$250 million ($181.94 million) on its home semiconductor trade to spice up analysis and improvement and manufacturing, the prime minister’s workplace mentioned in a press release.

In a joint assertion, the 2 leaders mentioned IBM would supply “a significant investment to develop new and expanded packaging and testing capabilities at its Bromont facility (in Quebec) as part of a Memorandum of Understanding.”

The nations didn’t disclose the quantity of IBM’s funding in Canada.

IBM maintains semiconductor analysis and manufacturing operations in upstate New York. Last yr, the corporate mentioned it plans to take a position $20 billion in New York’s Hudson Valley area, as soon as a producing powerhouse, over the subsequent decade to make and develop semiconductors, mainframe expertise, synthetic intelligence and quantum computing.

Stay on high of expertise and startup news that issues. Subscribe to our every day publication for the newest and must-read tech news, delivered straight to your inbox.