SUDBURY, ON – The Government of Canada is investing in Science North to engage youth in Northern Ontario schools and First Nations communities in coding and programming, Sudbury Member of Parliament Paul Lefebvre and Nickel Belt Member of Parliament Marc Serré announced today at Science North.
The investment is being allocated through CanCode, a federal program that gives students from kindergarten to Grade 12 the opportunity to learn coding and other digital skills. The funding will also provide thousands of Canadian teachers with the tools needed to educate Canadian youth on these skills.
This funding will allow Science North to bring hands-on coding and programming experiences to schools across Northern Ontario. In total, over 30,000 students will be able to gain important skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to help them achieve further academic success.
“This investment is great news for students and faculty across Northern Ontario. Thanks to CanCode, our youth will have the opportunity to learn the digital skills which will enable them to compete for tangible employment opportunities in the in high-demand STEM fields,” comments Marc Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt.
“Becoming the most innovative country begins with investing in Canadian talent. Our government is committed to equipping Canadian youth with the digital skills they need for the jobs of the future. By teaching kids to code today, we’re positioning Canada for future success across all industries and sectors because these kids will facilitate digital adoption, making all Canadian industries more profitable and globally competitive,” say The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.
“We are very happy to receive this funding from the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development through the CanCode program, to allow Science North the opportunity to bring hands-on science to more youth across Northern Ontario. Science North has a mandate to serve all of Northern Ontario, a significant geographic area, from Mattawa to the Manitoba border. Funding like this is essential to our success in serving the North,” says Guy Labine, Science North CEO.
About Science North
Science North is Northern Ontario’s most popular tourist attraction and an educational resource operating the second- and eighth-largest science centres in Canada. Science North’s attractions include a science centre, IMAX® theatre, planetarium, butterfly gallery, special exhibits hall, and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel. Science North also oversees an award-winning International Sales unit, which develops custom and ready-made exhibits and multimedia experiences for sale to science centres, museums, and other cultural institutions all over the world. Science North, in partnership with Laurentian University, offers North America’s first and only comprehensive Science Communication program, a joint Master’s and Diploma program. As part of its mandate, Science North provides science experiences throughout Northern Ontario including outreach to schools and festivals, summer science camps and more, and has a permanent base in Thunder Bay providing outreach to the Northwest. Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. For more information please visit sciencenorth.ca.
