IBM and PINQ² (the Platform for Digital and Quantum Innovation of Quebec) have announced the inauguration of IBM Quantum System One at IBM Bromont.
This event marks a major turning point in the field of IT and all sectors of innovation in Quebec, making PINQ² the sole administrator to inaugurate and operate an IBM Quantum System One in Canada.
The new quantum computer in Quebec is set to open prospects for the technological future of the province and the country. Access to this technology is a considerable asset for the ecosystem of DistriQ and the Technum Québec innovation zone, the new “Energy Transition Valley” innovation zone and other strategic sectors for Quebec.
Additionally, PINQ² will have access to the high-performance computing center (HPC) at the Humano District in Sherbrooke which will enable the company to offer a hybrid computing approach.
As part of the partnership between IBM and PINQ², announced in July 2023, both companies will lead a quantum working group dedicated to exploring quantum computing to develop solutions to sustainability challenges. This group will be supported by the valuable contributions of founding members: Hydro-Québec and the Université de Sherbrooke through its Institut Quantique.
Christian Bélanger, senior director of research and innovation at Hydro-Québec, said: “For the energy sector, the ongoing energy and digital transitions impose the need for increasingly efficient calculations in terms of R&D and application development, a need that will grow significantly in the coming years.
“At our research center, we are already working hard to tackle the challenges of the energy transition. We believe that quantum technologies that PINQ² gives access to offer promising prospects and rich opportunities for value creation in terms of energy and technological solutions for Hydro-Québec. We will most certainly be exploring and harnessing the potential of these technologies as they evolve.”
Jay Gambetta, vice president of IBM Quantum, said: “Quantum computing is accelerating at a rapid pace. This is in large part due to a growing global ecosystem that continues to push the boundaries of what is possible.
“Our partnership with PINQ² to deploy an IBM Quantum System One in Quebec, Canada marks a significant milestone in quantum technological and scientific progress and enables the region’s strong culture of innovation and talent to help extend the frontiers of quantum computing’s potential.”
The Platform for Digital and Quantum Innovation of Quebec is a non-profit organization created by the Université de Sherbrooke and the ministère de l’Économie, de l’Innovation et de l’Énergie du Québec (Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Energy of Quebec) in 2020. The company supports organizations in accelerating their digital transformation, to enhance collaboration and simplify technology transfers between industries and research.
