OAKVILLE BEAVER Friday, October 16, 2009 · 10 Good day for businesses receiving money from Goodyear Science and Technology Minister hands over $2.9 M to local firms From crane training to automated prescriptions, Gary Goodyear, Canada's minister of science and technology, was in town Wednesday to celebrate federal investment in both. At the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario (OETIO) on Speers Road, Goodyear witnessed the groundbreaking of the Advanced Training Facility -- a project that received $1.4 million in federal funding through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program (KIP). Goodyear was joined by Oakville MP Terence Young, Mike Gallagher, chair of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 793 Training Fund and Local business manager, and OETIO executive director Harold McBride. The 12,800 square-foot Advanced Training Facility will boost the capacity and function of OETIO's Oakville campus. The new facility will include a mechanic's garage, two classrooms and a simulation lab under one roof to provide training space for compulsory certification for crane operators and advanced training for mechanics. "Our government is investing in innovafor heavy equipment mechanics and tower crane technicians," said Gallagher. "We will be able to better serve the needs of construction employers across Ontario," he said. McBride said the new training facility will pay dividends to the construction industry for years to come. The stop at Oakville's crane-training facility was his second of the day. Goodyear first stopped to announce investment in Patient Care Automation Services Inc. (PCAS) -- the developer of the PharmaTrust(TM) MedCentre, a telepharmacy dispensing and primary care system. Here, the National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC-IRAP) is handing over $1.5 million to the system designed for applications in hospitals, pharmacies, medical clinics, workplaces and other locations, providing patients with convenient and safe access to prescription drugs. The funding is earmarked to support the Oakville-based company in hiring product development and engineering staff for two projects. The first is furthering the development of company's telepharmacy and primary-care platform technologies. The second supports the development of advanced manufacturing techniques and LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER BREAKING NEW GROUND: On hand for the groundbreaking at the Operating Engineers Training Institute of Ontario's Oakville Campus on Wednesday were (l-r) Don Gordon, vice-president operations at Cooper Construction, John Anderson, IUOE Local 793, Mike Gallagher, chair of training trust fund of Operating Engineers, Oakville MP Terence Young, Minister of Science and Technology Gary Goodyear, Joe Redshaw, training trustee, Harold McBride, director of training, Gary O'Neill, training trustee. tion and infrastructure to create jobs, help institutions -- and is part of the $12 billion our economy recover quickly and improve allocated under Canada's Economic Action the quality of life for Canadians," said Plan for new infrastructure investment. Through it, $800 million will be invested Goodyear. The investment will generate jobs now and providing a training space for years in projects at Ontario post-secondary institutions. to come. "This funding will enable the OETIO to KIP is a two-year, $2 billion economic stimulus measure to support infrastructure further expand its state-of-the-art simulaenhancement at Canadian post-secondary tion training and offer specialized courses See Government page 12