The Government of Canada recently announced a $52 million investment to support the creation of Luqia Technologies, a new industrial innovation laboratory formed by the merger of the National Optics Institute (INO) and the Computer Research Institute of Montréal (CRIM). The organization, which will consolidate its operations in Quebec City and Montreal, is scheduled to begin integrated services for Canadian businesses on April 1, 2026.
The strategic consolidation marks a shift in approach to industrial R&D, moving away from siloed research toward a unified “one-stop shop” for commercialization. By integrating INO’s world-class optics and photonics infrastructure with CRIM’s advanced AI and data science expertise, Luqia aims to solve a persistent bottleneck: the “valley of death” between laboratory discovery and market-ready products.
The lab will focus on developing “intelligent systems”—technologies where high-precision optical sensors and AI algorithms work in tandem—to provide Canadian SMEs with the sovereign technical capabilities needed to compete in high-security sectors.
“Creating Luqia will enable us, through the synergy between artificial intelligence and photonics, to work in collaboration with Canadian and Quebec businesses to transform key sectors,” said Alain Chandonnet, CEO of Luqia Technologies. “From Day 1, Luqia represents a powerful driver to increase productivity, reduce costs and strengthen Canada’s technological future.”
The $52 million Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions investment aims to secure Canada’s technological sovereignty by reducing reliance on foreign providers. Luqia will prioritize “dual-use” technologies, developing high-precision sensing and data tools for both commercial markets and national security interests like Arctic surveillance and cybersecurity.
Federal officials emphasized that the move is a pillar of the country’s broader defense industrial strategy. In a statement, the government noted: “Luqia Technologies will provide businesses with integrated guidance to accelerate the commercialization of strategic technologies… helping Canada to become more autonomous and stimulating local innovation.”
Operationally, Luqia will draw on a combined workforce of more than 250 specialized researchers and engineers from the former INO and CRIM teams. The organization will maintain a strategic dual-hub structure, with its photonics and optics headquarters in Quebec City and its artificial intelligence center in Montreal.
While Luqia’s technological scope is broad, its immediate commercial focus centers on four high-growth pillars: national defense, aerospace, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.