VANCOUVER -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper says Canada will provide up to $243.5 million over 10 years for the Thirty Meter Telescope project.
When completed in about eight years, it will be one of the world's largest telescopes -- 22 storeys tall with a primary mirror extending 30 metres across,
The will be located at the summit of Hawaii's Mauna Kea volcano. Japan, China, India and the United States are also part of the project.
Harper says most of Canada's contribution will be spent in this country.
It includes the precision-steel enclosure by Dynamic Structures Ltd, based in Port Coquitlam, B.C., and cutting-edge adaptive optics technologies, to be developed by the National Research Council along with Canadian companies.
Harper adds that Canada's contribution will secure a viewing share for Canadian researchers at the TMT once the US$1.5 billion telescope is operational in 2023-2024.
"Our participation in the Thirty Meter Telescope project will generate new capabilities and technologies in Canada which will help create and maintain high-quality jobs in communities across the country," Harper said.
"It is also a real tribute to Canadian know-how that a British Columbia firm was selected to build the telescope's enclosure."
