Canada's first quantum computing hub boots up in southern Alberta
Businesses in southern Alberta are getting the chance to try out a publicly accessible supercomputer.
A quantum computing hub, created by SuperQ Quantum Computing, recently opened at the Tecconnect innovation centre at Economic Development Lethbridge.
SuperQ founder Muhammad Khan says the platform called Super is web-based and, similarly to ChatGPT, allows users to ask about complex real-world problems in plain English, and comes up with all possible solutions simultaneously.
Problems could include supply chain bottlenecks or manufacturing inefficiencies.
"The way it does it is by combining classical computing with quantum computing, and doing all the complexity stuff under the hood," Khan told The Canadian Press in a recent interview. "Classical computing is what we use everyday on our computers, on our laptops.
"Classical computing would take one route, and if it fails, it comes back and takes another route. Whereas quantum computing takes all the possible routes at the same time. And as a result, it is able to figure out the maze a lot faster."
Businesses in the city southeast of Calgary can trial the technology by asking questions like how to find efficient delivery routes or how to schedule staff to minimize overtime, Khan said.
Super is to eventually be made available to the broader public by licence. The Lethbridge Super hub is the first in a series of planned networks worldwide.
Other locations are set to be established elsewhere in Canada, the United States, Europe, India and the United Arab Emirates.
Khan said setting up the platform's nucleus in Lethbridge is a full-circle moment.
"I have a deep affection for Tecconnect as my entrepreneurial journey started there," Khan said, adding the centre has helped facilitate emerging technologies in Alberta and Canada.
"That appetite to promote emerging technologies with a business focus is something that is not very common. And if you go to the big centres, it's hard to bring about these programs."
Renae Barlow, vice-president of entrepreneurship and innovation at Economic Development Lethbridge, said emerging technologies, such as Tecconnect, can keep businesses competitive.
Local teams are offering workshops and training to help companies learn more about the platform, she said.
"Having businesses understand why it's important for them to integrate this [technology] and to be on the leading edge and to really create that competitive advantage is what we wanted for our southern Alberta businesses," Barlow said.
"To understand that this actually puts them ahead."
Khan said some businesses in telehealth have also reached out about using the platform to build artificial intelligence doctors.
"Their human doctors couldn't keep up with the demand," he said. "So that was done, but then the question was, 'How do you increase the accuracy of those AI clinicians?' And this is where we came in, and the Super platform came in to take those AI models to the next level."
Barlow said there's been other interest in things like understanding global markets and even determining nutritional values for cattle.
The hub is also getting noticed by government officials.
Nate Glubish, Alberta's minister of technology and innovation, highlighted the hub on social media.
"Alberta tech is booming," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
12 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Judge sides with Mobilicity investors, orders Ottawa to repay hundreds of millions of dollars
An Ontario judge has sided with the original investors of a former independent mobile provider in a court battle that has lasted for more than a decade, ordering the federal government to repay hundreds of millions of dollars for unexpectedly altering its spectrum policy and causing them losses. Justice Peter Osborne of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled Wednesday that Ottawa committed negligence and negligent misrepresentation when it induced Quadrangle Group LLC and Obelysk Media Inc. to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in Mobilicity in 2008, only to change the rules for the resale of the startup's wireless licences in 2013. Justice Osborne also ruled that the government wrongfully interfered with the sale of Mobilicity's spectrum assets, the invisible radio waves that carry wireless signals, when it extended what was supposed to be a five-year moratorium on new entrant spectrum transfers to incumbents. In doing so, the judge said, the then-Harper government quashed proposed purchase offers by Telus Corp. T-T when Mobilicity was operating under court protection from its creditors. (Mobilicity was eventually sold to Rogers Communications Inc. for a lower price.) Rita Trichur: Wheels of justice grind slowly for Mobilicity's initial investors The lengthy and complex trial, which relied on 10 fact witnesses and five expert witnesses, underlines the question of investors' rights in the face of changing policy frameworks. The case also reinforces governments' 'duty of care' to ensure that their regulatory actions do not lead to unreasonable harm business interests. The decision contributes to continuing debates over the effectiveness of Canada's telecom competition policy and the degree to which the government should put its finger on the scale when it comes to commercial matters. 'At its core, this action is about the transferability of spectrum licenses. But significantly, it is also about the extraordinary and unusual conduct of Government officials with respect to the Mobilicity spectrum licenses in particular,' Justice Osborne said in his decision. Obelysk welcomed the decision in a statement, saying the plaintiffs are reviewing the details and will continue to pursue all appropriate remedies to recover their losses. While the judge did not specify the total damages, Jonathan Lisus, the lead lawyer for the investors, said the parties had calculated the amount at more than $500-million. The case represents a rare instance of a government being found in breach of private law duty of care, Mr. Lisus said. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada spokesperson Andréa Daigle said in an e-mail that the government has taken note of the court's decision and will review its finding carefully. 'As the decision remains subject to appeal, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,' she said. David Berman: The question now facing telecom investors: Why bother? The origins of the dispute date back to 2006, when the government approached Canadian businessman John Bitove about investing in a new wireless venture, according to the lawsuit filed in 2014. In order to increase competition, the government decided to set aside a portion of wireless licences in a forthcoming auction for new market entrants. Mr. Bitove, who ultimately became the majority owner of Obelysk, and New York-based private equity firm Quadrangle Group LLC eventually did invest. They purchased spectrum licences worth $243-million in the 2008 auction. Notably, they alleged that they did so under the understanding that, if Mobilicity were to fail, they could sell the licences – typically a telecom's most valuable asset – to an incumbent to recoup their investment after a five-year period, mitigating their risk. But in 2013, the government retroactively altered the rules governing spectrum transfers, arguing that new entrant spectrum was never meant to fall into the hands of incumbent carriers. By taking away the company's ability to sell to incumbents including Telus, Justice Osborne said that the government caused a material and immediate devaluation of the value of Mobilicity's licences. Industry Canada, which regulates spectrum auctions, maintained during legal proceedings that it did nothing unlawful, and provided the investors no assurances that spectrum transfers would be approved in their favour after the five-year moratorium. But Justice Obsborne said there was overwhelming evidence that the plaintiffs understood the opposite, and said that if this was not the case, that the government had a duty to correct their understanding but did not do so. The judge rejected the government's view that it could alter the transferability attributes 'at any time it saw fit' and avoid liability to the plaintiffs. 'The actions of the Government were capricious, and they were inconsistent with the expectations which were in turn based on the representations made,' he said. 'Those representations were relied on by the investors who, as noted, did spend billions of dollars under the assumption that the rules would be respected.' Canadian telecoms boost wireless prices, giving lift to sagging stocks Furthermore, Justice Osborne found that Industry Canada later interfered in a bidding war for Mobilicity, which was struggling financially, disrupting Telus's efforts to acquire the company's spectrum. Telus and Mobilicity had been engaged in talks for the sale of the company before the policy change, so the companies decided to go forward and seek approval, despite concerns that the regulator would not allow it. Justice Osborne said the regulator interfered by threatening in 2014 that Telus would be excluded from future spectrum actions if it continued to pursue Mobilicity licences, and by 'unnecessarily, but intentionally, inappropriately, and for tactical purposes,' withholding the release of a response on a proposed licence transfer to Telus, 'at the specific request and with the direct involvement of the Minister's political staff,' the judge found. The regulator eventually made an exception to its policy to allow Rogers Communications Inc. RCI-B-T to purchase Mobilicity and its wireless licences as part of a spectrum swap in 2015. Rogers paid $465-million, which was $82-million less than Telus's highest bid at the time. By effectively removing Telus as one of the two bidders, the government prematurely and 'surreptitiously' terminated what was otherwise a competitive bidding process, and ultimately reduced the value of the licences, Justice Osborne ruled. The government will be required to repay the shareholders for their initial investments in Mobilicity after the sale in 2015, plus prejudgment interest.
Globe and Mail
12 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
If You Bought 100 Shares of IonQ at Its IPO, Here's How Much Money You'd Have Now
Key Points IonQ began trading on public markets in 2021 after merging with a special purpose acquisition company. Shares of IonQ have soared over the past four years. The stock has plenty of potential to continue rising as the quantum computing industry matures. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › With the potential to revolutionize computing as we know it, quantum computing has soared in popularity among investors seeking tech stocks with ample growth opportunity. Of the limited number of quantum computing stocks, IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), a leader in the field, is one of the most recognizable names. But a stock growing in popularity doesn't always ensure that shares will also rise. Let's see how IonQ investors who bought shares four years ago after the company's debut on public markets have fared. The first quantum computing company on the scene Proclaiming itself the "first publicly traded, pure-play quantum computing company," IonQ began trading on Oct. 1, 2021 at $10.60 after the company completed a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Over the following years, the company has announced several notable achievements. From opening the first quantum computing manufacturing facility in the United States, to applying quantum computing to artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning that advances hybrid quantum-classical computing to improve both large language models and generative AI, IonQ has made tremendous strides that have excited investors' interest. As a result of the company's progress, shares of IonQ have soared. People who invested $1,060 to buy 100 shares at the stock's open on the first day of trading at it's opening price had seen their positions grow to $4,122 as of the end of trading on Aug. 6, 2025. Is it a quantum leap to think that IonQ stock can rise further? As a leader in the burgeoning quantum computing field, IonQ stock is one of the most common considerations for investors seeking exposure to the cutting-edge technology. While quantum computing might seem the stuff of science fiction, the company is demonstrating that there's nothing fictitious about the technology. As it pursues integrating its technology with hyperscalers like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services, the company has robust growth potential over the coming years, and there's the definite potential for IonQ stock to continuing surging higher. Should you invest $1,000 in IonQ right now? Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $619,036!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,092,648!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 1,026% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 180% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of August 4, 2025
CTV News
12 minutes ago
- CTV News
Ont. man caught up in tariff war while trying to ship dream car
An Ontario man said ongoing tariff troubles are keeping him from bringing his dream car home. CTV's Karis Mapp reports. An error has occurred during playback. Please try again later. [1000/0] For as long as Cam Gillespie can remember, he's always been a fan of Ford cars, with Shelby Mustangs holding a special place in his heart. 'They only produced about 135 convertibles back in 1970 and Caroll Shelby was a race car driver back in the 50's,' explained the 65-year-old retiree. So when his dream car, a 1969 Shelby Mustang, became available for purchase from an Iowa dealership, Gillespie jumped at the opportunity. 'I never thought I'd find one to be quite honest. That's how rare they are.' Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 A Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is seen in this undated image from Kinion Classics. He said he was aware of Canada's ongoing trade war with the United States, so he contacted the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) to inquire about shipping the car to his home in Brantford, Ont. At the time, Gillespie said a CBSA agent told him he wouldn't be impacted because the tariffs don't affect classic cars over 25 years old. It wasn't until after Gillespie purchased the vehicle and began coordinating shipping, that he realized he'd be paying more than he had anticipated. 'I always get TFX International to bring the cars up and TFX, at that time, informed me that there would be a 25 per cent tariff on the automobile,' said Gillespie. CTV News contacted the CBSA and a spokesperson responded with an emailed statement. It read, in part, 'Please note that general information shared over the phone does not constitute an advance ruling of the duties and taxes that will apply to specific imports of goods. Each situation is unique, therefore we do not speculate or comment on individual outcomes.' Cam Gillespie Mustang tariff troubles Brantford, Ont. man Cam Gillespie posed for a photo on Aug. 6, 2025. (Karis Mapp/CTV News) What was expected to be a $106,000 purchase, adding up to over $145,000 with taxes and tariffs included. And Gillespie said the unexpected costs won't stop when the vehicle arrives. 'My insurance is going to be based on $145,000,' Gillespie said. 'I'm going to be paying a fortune in insurance for a vehicle that I'm going to drive maybe 15 minutes in the summertime.' The added cost comes due to Canada's retaliatory tariff that implemented in response to the Trump administration's tariff on automotive imports. For now, the Shelby Mustang is still sitting at the dealership in Iowa, but Gillespie was told they can only hold onto it until the end of August. With time of the essence, Gillespie has attempted to escalate his situation, reaching out to the office of Prime Minister Mark Carney and to Minister of Finance François-Phillipe Champagne. Cam Gillespie letter to Mark Carney Brantford, Ont. man Cam Gillespie wrote a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney as he struggles to ship a classic car to Canada. Brantford's Member of Parliament Larry Brock has even written a letter on Gillespie's behalf. Despite receiving a response from Prime Minister Carney's office, a resolution still hasn't been found. Which means, Gillespie is going to have to pay the tariff price if he wants his dream car. 'This should be changed, this doesn't make sense. It's not right.' Cam Gillespie response from Mark Carney's office Brantford, Ont. man Cam Gillespie received this response after writing a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney's office. The importance of importing The retaliatory tariff is aimed to de-incentivize Canadians from purchasing American-made cars. But for Gillespie and car enthusiasts alike, getting vehicles from the U.S. is their only option. 'In the classic car world, because of their climate and dry states, no salt, no snow, [the U.S. has] got 99.9 per cent of the inventory,' Scott Vickers, President of Summit Ford in Toronto, said. Vicker's company purchases cars on behalf of Canadians who may not be able to attend car auctions south of the border. They also recondition the vehicles. 'It's bad enough we have to deal with 30 per cent on exchange, now you tack on another 25 per cent in tariffs - It just economically doesn't make sense,' said Vickers. 'I've sold numerous classic cars and recently sold one, three times. Every time I sell that car, the government's getting roughly $13,000 to $15,000 in revenue.' The companies transporting the cars across the border are also feeling a financial hit. 'We're probably missing out on about $50,000 to $100,000 every week of potential sales just in transport alone,' said Aaron Horodnyk, the Vice President of TFX International – the company tasked with bringing Gillespie's Mustang to Canada. 'I think what's happened to Cam is absurd. People should be allowed to own and drive what they want to own and drive.'
