Kitchener, Ontario, June 11, 2024 – Westinghouse Electric Company today announced the launch of a new global engineering hub in Kitchener, Ontario. The 13,000-square-foot office opening further demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to Canada, its customers and its workforce.
The new facility will be home to global design engineering teams dedicated to supporting the CANDU® operating fleet and international projects, as well as the global deployment of Westinghouse new build technologies – including the advanced AP1000® reactor, AP300TM small modular reactor and eVinciTM microreactor. The site features high-tech training capabilities and a laboratory dedicated to further advancing the company’s leading fire protection engineering services.
Westinghouse and Canadian leaders celebrated the opening of the new global engineering hub in Kitchener, Ontario, on June 11, 2024. Left to right: David Tanel, Westinghouse Vice President of Sales; John Yakabuski, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy; Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic; Tony LaMantia, President and CEO of Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation; Luca Oriani, Westinghouse Senior Vice President and Global Chief Engineering Services Officer; Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; and Westinghouse President and CEO Patrick Fragman.
The Honorable Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade; John Yakabuski, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Energy; Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic; and Tony LaMantia, President and CEO of Waterloo Region Economic Development Corporation (EDC), attended the event with more than 40 additional guests.
“Ontario is home to the second largest tech cluster in North America, with thousands of highly talented tech workers, many located in the Kitchener-Waterloo region,” said Victor Fedeli, Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Westinghouse’s investment in their new global engineering hub in Kitchener recognizes our province’s excellence in innovation and will drive new advancements in nuclear energy technologies. We congratulate Westinghouse on this milestone and welcome their expansion within Ontario’s innovation ecosystem.”
“We are immensely proud to continue investing in Canada and to grow our presence in this dynamic energy market,” said Patrick Fragman, Westinghouse President and CEO. “Today, Westinghouse has more than 250 employees based in Canada across a diverse range of technical and professional roles. The new engineering hub in Kitchener will expand our employee base with approximately 100 additional engineers by 2025. This – coupled with our robust domestic supply chain and our proven technology offerings – uniquely positions Westinghouse to meet Canada’s clean energy needs for generations to come.”
The Kitchener site is one of Westinghouse’s five global engineering hubs that drive advancements in the delivery of nuclear energy technology. The location was selected for its proximity to customers and supply chain, as well as to the University of Waterloo and other outstanding colleges and universities that train top talent.
Canada is at a pivotal moment in pursuit of its renewable energy objectives, and Westinghouse is ready to play an active role in this transformation. Earlier this year, Westinghouse released a comprehensive, independent report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) outlining the significant economic impact from deploying four advanced AP1000 reactor units in Ontario. Additionally, Westinghouse and the Saskatchewan Research Council are leading the way to build the first Canadian eVinci microreactor in Saskatchewan.
