The LTRC at a Glance...

The Language Technologies Research Centre (LTRC) is a research centre established to carry out and promote research, development and technology transfer activities in language technologies.

The LTRC aims to promote strategic partnerships in order to provide new opportunities for collaborative research, innovative technologies and marketing. The LTRC truly plays a vital role in Research and Development (R&D) for Canadian businesses that develop and use information technology products and services.

The LTRC houses organizations that each participate in their own unique way in the development of language technologies. Whether to support their R&D services or to promote a more global approach to partnership, the LTRC advocates a synergistic approach in the language industry setting that allows it to be a valuable and key player in all language technologies research projects.

Users of the language technologies being developed at the LTRC have an advantage when it comes to being a language professional. In its R&D program as in all its marketing efforts, the LTRC emphasizes leading-edge technologies and highly qualified partnerships that help businesses succeed.

History

In March 2003, the Government of Canada released the Action Plan for Official Languages, which announced the intention to create the Language Technologies Research Centre (LTRC). By doing so, the government’s goal was to support Canadian research in the language industry and the development of new solutions in language technologies.

The LTRC was formed through a partnership between the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Translation Bureau of Canada and the Université du Québec en Outaouais (UQO).

In May 2004, the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec and UQO announced a joint funding project worth $15.2 million for the construction of a building at the Alexandre-Taché Block on the UQO campus in Gatineau, part of Canada’s National Capital Region. In addition to housing all of the LTRC researchers under one roof, the new building includes research laboratories and technological equipment necessary for carrying out research projects. Construction began in early 2005 and was completed by early 2006. Since then, employees and research associates at the LTRC have been conducting research and doing development and language technology transfer activities.

For the most part, 2010 was dedicated to the Language Technologies Tool Box, a project that became a reality in 2011. Thus far in 2012, the LTRC’s efforts are taking shape with a nationwide rollout of LinguisTech (a language technologies tool box and reference web site). This project is solidifying the ties between research, language technology companies and practice.

Mission, Vision, Strategic Directions

Mission

Carry out and promote research, development and technology transfer in language technologies, as part of the collaborative efforts between academia (universities), government, associations and industry, in order to contribute to the advancement of knowledge, and to benefit the Canadian language industry.

Vision

Become:

the world leader in the research and development of language technologies;
a national technology centre enabling Canadian companies to increase their competitiveness and become leaders on the international scene;
a unique environment for the training of highly qualified personnel; and
a key factor in the development of industrial and technology clusters in the field of language technologies in Canada.

Strategic Orientations

Develop tools for productivity improvement in the following areas: