Message from the President

Dear friends and colleagues

We would like to congratulate you on your business and research accomplishments in 2022.  We would also like to offer our admiration for your relentless effort in developing new products and markets in photonics as well as new discoveries and technologies.   We thank you for your continued support for the photonics community in Canada and for Photons Canada.

Here are some updates that may be of your interests:

• With the DRDC support during 2022, we have organized 18 events, including 2 photonic webinars, 4 workshops, and 12 technical networking activities.  Four activities were dedicated to regional SWOT analysis.  At the end of the year, we have compiled a comprehensive report to DRDC, which will be available for our members.
• We have also supported two Conferences held in Canada, namely Photonics North and the Near Field Optics.
• Along with Optonique, we co-hosted a Dutch trade delegation in photonics.  Our effort helped to extend international reach for several Canadian companies.
• We are currently supporting a German-Canadian virtual business conference in Optics and Photonics on March the 8^th.  Details of this event have been announced on Photons Canada LinkedIn page.
• This year, Photons Canada returned to the Photonics West after pandemic.  We shared our booth with NRC-CPFC and CMC. We took the opportunity to grow our international connections by participating in 7 international meetings and events to network with key cluster and business leaders around the around.  We have built, renewed or enhanced our connections with international and other national clusters such as SPIE, Optica, EPIC,  Spectaris (Germany), PhotonicsNetherlands / PhotonDelta, ISORAD (Isreal), Opto-Taiwan, etc.  Photons Canada also took the opportunity to visit Canadian exhibitors at the Bios Expo and the Photonics West exhibitions to connect with our community.  We would like to see more Canadian companies go to the show next year.  For those companies who were not able to go to Photonics West this year, please let us know what help you will need in order to exhibit next year or if there is another trade show o exhibit,  for example, the Laser World of Photonics Munich?
• With the recent announcement of National Quantum Strategy, we can see growing opportunities for photonic companies, either as a component and module supplier to quantum companies, or extending R&D into the quantum world.  We will be holding a series of events around quantum photonics.  Please stay tuned.
• Photons Canada is part of NGen, the next generation manufacturing supercluster.  We are getting a continued support from them and we are working with them to connect with other clusters within NGen.  The goal is to get more end user companies to adopt photonic technology products and develop new photonic applications. You will hear more about them and their activities in the months to come.
• Photons Canada is working with NRC-CPFC, CMC, Optonique, INO, COPL , and STARaCom to expand the industry and business-related programs at the Photonics North.  We plan to introduce panels dedicated to SMEs in photonics and a workshop on how to start a company in photonics.  In addition to the Student-Industry Meet and Greet Lunch, there will be a student paper competition, and we are looking for ways to further extend networking and connections with industry.  We welcome ideas and volunteers.
• In addition to our long-term relationship with the DRDC, Photons Canada has reconnected with ISED, GAC, and other government departments.  By working together, we could enhance communications between our industry and government departments.  We would like to see a more strategic industry policy and a stronger support to photonic industry in Canada.

As the majority of Canadian photonic companies are SME’s, let us work together to find ways to collaborate more and support one another , so we can all succeed in this highly competitive and geopolitically challenging global environment. We believe that for the healthy growth of our cluster we need all four pillars to work closely together, namely Industry, Government, Academia and the Investment Community.  We plan to facilitate such interactions and forge a better future for the Canadian photonic industry.

Our community has a long tradition of collaboration by helping each other, and volunteering.  We need volunteers to support our cluster and community, organize local events, support Photons Canada marketing and communications, and form special interest groups such as Young Professionals Circles, or Women in Photonics networks, etc.  Anyone who has a big heart and is willing to give something back to the photonics community, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We will appreciate it very much and the community will be very grateful for your contribution.

To conclude, we would say let’s work together to build a more successful Photonic Cluster in Canada.  We will keep you informed, and we hope to hear from you as well.

Connect with us on LinkedIn for news updates and future events https://www.linkedin.com/company/photons-canada-cpic

Thanks and stay in touch,

Kexing Liu, Ph.D. President and Executive Director of Photons Canada

Robert Corriveau, Past President and member of the Board of Directors