Semiconductor Design

• IC design services
• FPGA design and verification
• Photonics chip design
• EDA tool development
• Compound semiconductor design

1. 1

   Develop silicon photonics and compound semiconductor design specializations

2. 2

   Pursue CHIPS Act-equivalent Canadian incentives for semiconductor activities

3. 3

   Establish partnerships with US and Asian foundries for guaranteed fab access

4. 4

   Build quantum computing chip design capabilities as a national strategic priority

5. 5

   Invest in EDA tool development to reduce dependency on US-controlled design software

Semiconductor design services are largely intangible exports protected by CUSMA digital trade provisions. However, US CHIPS Act provisions create incentives for semiconductor activities to locate in the US rather than Canada. Export control restrictions on advanced semiconductor technology increasingly affect Canadian firms with Chinese client relationships.

Canadian semiconductor designers rely entirely on foreign foundries (TSMC, Samsung, GlobalFoundries) for chip fabrication. EDA tool licenses from US-based Synopsys, Cadence, and Siemens create critical vendor dependencies. Export control compliance for dual-use semiconductor designs adds regulatory burden for firms operating across jurisdictions.

Canada lacks domestic semiconductor fabrication but has pockets of design excellence, particularly in photonics (Ottawa), automotive chips, and FPGA design. Competition from Indian and Israeli design centres intensifies for semiconductor engineering talent. Canadian firms differentiate through specialization in emerging areas like silicon photonics and quantum chip design.