20 February 2023
Minister François-Philippe Champagne visits ÉTS
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, paid a visit to ÉTS to inaugurate the new Pavilion D. The Minister met with many members of the university community, including numerous students from several ÉTS science and technology clubs, where he got to experience their enthusiasm and dedication first-hand. He also met with ÉTS CEO François Gagnon and the members of the Management Committee, and with Charles Sirois, President of the Board of Directors, to discuss the school’s vision for contributing to the well-being of Canadians. Read the News release from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.
“Our government understands that by investing in research infrastructure, we are investing directly in the economy of tomorrow.
Yan Gagnon, Vosker, Annie Bouthillette, VP, Institutional Relations, ÉTS, Angelo Iacono, Member of Parliament for Alfred-Pellan, Charles Sirois, President, ÉTS Board of Directors, Minister Champagne, Richard Chénier, Centech, François Gagnon and Jade Doucet-Martineau, Puzzle Medical Devices.
And our investment in ÉTS is the perfect example, as it will help achieve the next cutting-edge innovation in Canada and strengthen technological and economic development in Quebec. Thanks to this investment, students will be able to develop their expertise and perform research on state-of-the-art equipment, preparing them for the jobs of the future.”
– The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“We are very proud of this magnificent pavilion, which supports the dynamic student experience that is at the heart of ÉTS education. This new space allows our student community to explore and innovate, and to get ready to make a profound impact on the technological and economic development of tomorrow’s society.”
– François Gagnon, CEO of ÉTS
Inauguration of Pavilion D
Without a doubt, Pavilion D was the focal point of the visit, as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry officially inaugurated the new building, accompanied by Angelo Iacono, Member of Parliament for Alfred-Pellan, Benoit Dorais, Mayor of the Sud-Ouest Borough and Vice-Chair of the Ville de Montréal Executive Committee, and Tan Shan Li, Sud-Ouest Borough Councillor. Pavilion D houses the premises and workshops reserved for student science and technology clubs at ÉTS, which is the North American leader in terms of surface area (more than 5,000 m2) and equipment set aside for these types of clubs.
Minister Champagne in conversation with a student.
Minister Champagne was greeted by a robot named Naova and met with students who are involved in science and technology clubs at ÉTS. His visit included an underwater demonstration from the Omer club and its human-powered submarines, the presentation of a prototype ecoresponsible sailboat from the Rafale club and trying out the Capra club’s rugged-terrain search and rescue robot.
In addition to operating these prototypes and robots, the Minister was able to test drive some of the vehicles created by student clubs at ÉTS, including the high-performance Baja, a four-wheel drive all-terrain vehicle equipped with a patented CVT transmission, and the Formule ÉTS, a fully electric single-seater racing car.
About Pavilion D
Funded by the Governments of Canada and Quebec and designed by the architectural firm of Menkès Shooner Dagenais LeTourneux, Pavilion D won the Architecture Grand Prize and the Platinum Architecture / Public Building – Higher Education Prize at the Grands Prix du design gala in 2021 thanks to its exceptional architectural quality.
The building houses a total of 32 technology and science groups and 29 social and humanitarian groups. Students can go there to practice and experiment with concepts they learned in class in order to enhance their knowledge through interaction with their peers in an environment that was designed to meet their specific needs. These specialized spaces represent a significant incentive for encouraging the next generation of engineers to undertake or pursue their studies at ÉTS, and to launch their own technology businesses.
The Minister and Member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice—Champlain at the wheel of the Formule ÉTS, a fully electric single-seater racing car.
Pavillon D
The building boasts abundant fenestration to take full advantage of natural light and increase the visual comfort of occupants, and contains only LED light fixtures. The inside air is cooled by cold water, using a process that reduces construction and maintenance costs, because no mechanical equipment is required to cool the building. The control system is centralized and optimized to function based on the occupation of the spaces.
Olivier Audet
Department of Public Affairs and Government Relations
