SUDBURY – NICKEL BELT – Canada needs a workforce that is strong in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and capable of taking on challenges to compete in the digital economy. To make sure the next generation of young Canadians can thrive in that digital reality, the Government of Canada is supporting millions of students in improving their digital skills.

Today, MP for Sudbury Viviane Lapointe and MP for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages Marc G. Serré, announced $2.5 million in funding towards the important education being undertaken by Science North with support from CanCode. CanCode 3.0 will continue to engage students and teachers across Sudbury, Nickel Belt, Northern Ontario and in First Nation communities in coding and digital skills programming. This builds upon the $2 million announced in support of Science North’s CanCode programming launch in 2018. In 2019, the program celebrated a first phase milestone having enabled 3137 local students to receive digital skills training in partnership with Science North, Kids Code Jeunesse and Canada Learning Code. The workshops were delivered in partnership with Cambrian College, Laurentian University, Science North and local school boards.

From 2022-2024 Science North’s CanCode programming will provide bilingual, hands-on learning experiences to 70,000 students, including 22,650 Indigenous students across Northern Ontario. More than 1,000 teachers will be engaged in curriculum-linked experiential learning workshops, including 300 educators from First Nations schools. An additional 5,000 teachers will have access to online resources. Programs will provide unique opportunities for girls, youth with disabilities, Indigenous youth, and youth in rural, remote and Northern communities to build digital skills and be exposed to information technology career pathways.

Thanks to CanCode investments, Science North’s programming has reached 95,000 students, including more than 24,000 Indigenous students and youth from rural, northern, and remote communities over the years. Students were introduced to coding, computational skills, robotics programming and other digital skills and over 11,700 teachers participated in educator workshops and accessed online resources.

Quotes

"To drive our economic success for years to come, we must support young Canadians in the digital world. By investing in resources that teach students things like coding and data analytics, we are helping them gain the skills needed to succeed in the 21st century economy. These are the skills that will help them transition from the classroom to research labs, shop floors and boardrooms."

– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry

“Science North continues to be an extraordinary leader in interactive education throughout Northern Ontario. Through the Government of Canada CanCode funding, Science North will continue to equip educators and students across Northern Ontario and in First Nations communities with vital digital skills to adapt to the changing technology climate. As the labour market continues to evolve, we need to inspire our students and make them aware of the growing opportunities in STEM related fields.” – Viviane Lapointe, Member of Parliament Sudbury

“This $2.5 million will help build upon the success of past CanCode investments which supported thousands of local youths and teachers and created more opportunities for rural and Indigenous communities. This is an important initiative that provides Nickel Belt – Greater Sudbury’s next generation with the tools they need to prepare them for tomorrow’s job market and to ignite their passion for science and technology.” -  Marc G. Serré, MP for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages

“We are honoured to receive CanCode funding. Building on a strong foundation, Science North will bring experiences and informational coding workshops to more children and youth around Northern Ontario. Science North has a mandate to serve all of Northern Ontario. This funding helps Science North engage with Indigenous peoples and help kids get hands-on with technology when they might not

otherwise be able to.”  - Guy Labine, Science North CEO

Quick facts

• CanCode gives students from kindergarten to grade 12 the opportunity to learn digital skills, like coding, data analytics and digital content development, including artificial intelligence.
• CanCode also provides Canadian teachers with the know-how to incorporate new digital skills and technologies into their classrooms, and encourages young women, Indigenous peoples and other under-represented groups to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
• As announced in Budget 2021, the Government of Canada is investing $80 million in CanCode. This investment is in addition to the $60 million from Budget 2019 and $50 million from Budget 2017.
• In its first and second phases, CanCode helped provide coding and digital skills training to over 4.5 million Canadian students and 220,000 teachers. This third phase seeks to provide an additional 3 million training opportunities to students and 120,000 to teachers, with a focus on youth and teachers from under-represented groups.
• CanCode has a student stream and a teacher stream. CanCode funding recipients deliver digital skills learning opportunities for students from kindergarten to Grade 12 and/or training programs and workshops for teachers.
• CanCode is designed to complement educational curricula, promote awareness of coding, spark interest in coding and encourage digital skills more broadly. The long-term goal is to make Canada a leading innovation economy with a diverse and inclusive workforce.
• In 2019, 27 projects from across Canada received funding from the CanCode program.
• Funding applicants must be not-for-profit organizations incorporated in Canada. They must have a minimum of three years of experience delivering education-related programs to young Canadians.

Associated links

• CanCode
• Innovation and Skills Plan

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Media Contacts:

Hailey Short
Seniors Communications Advisor
Viviane Lapointe, MP Sudbury
705 673 7107
[email protected]

Kaylie Dudgeon
Special Assistant
Marc G. Serré, MP Nickel Belt
705-507-2416
[email protected]