Unlocking the digital fabrication
Canadian leaders of the Fab Labs movement believe that this type of knowledge sharing and production equipment infrastructure should be found in most communities from coast to coast to coast . Not only do Fab Labs open up to science, technology, design and art, they allow communities to use tools and models developed around the world and then make them an appropriate in situ solution to their needs.
- To bring out the creative, economic, entrepreneurial and social potential of Fab Labs.
- To create a state of mind of open and collective innovation.
- To make technological and traditional tools accessible.
The First Fab Labs opened in Boston in 2003. Today, there are 1600 Fab Labs around the world and the first one to open in Canada was in Montreal, under the leadership of Monique Chartrand.
- 2011: échoFab Montreal, the First FabLab to open in Canada
- 2011: Creation of FabLab Québec
- 2013: First canadian delegation to attend the annual FabLab International Conference
- 2015: Marguerite-Bourgeoy’s , the first School Board (Commission scolaire), deciding to integrate FabLabs all over its schools.
- 2017: Creation of a canadian lab’s interstructure through a three months tour of Canada strengthening the access and facilitate resources sharing. (FabLabs Nation)
- 2017: Quebec Government creates a program to finance the implementation of labs within the province’s cultural spaces.
- 2020: For the first time in Canada, hosting the annual FabLab International Conference + the FabCity Summit