Innovation & Training Centre (ITC) – Toronto

Driving Innovation and Sustainability in Construction Materials

The Innovation & Training Centre (ITC) in Toronto is a LEED Gold-certified facility, built in 2010 using Lafarge’s own sustainable products.

As a hub for research, development, training, and innovation, it accelerates innovation and green growth across Lafarge Canada’s Ready-Mix Concrete and Aggregates markets in Eastern Canada. The ITC addresses both business technical services and longer-term R&D goals aimed at advancing sustainability, decarbonization efforts and efficiency in construction.

A Differentiating Hub for Innovation:

The Innovation and Training Centre in Toronto is unique within Lafarge’s R&D network, focusing on sustainable innovation, smart construction technologies, and digital solutions. The team specializes in development of advanced concrete materials, aggregates and pavement testing and evaluation, and sustainable concrete additives and technologies. Extensive collaboration with academic institutions and startups keeps the centre at the forefront of addressing the evolving challenges in construction.

The centre also plays a critical role in supporting our Ready-Mix and Aggregates businesses by offering technical training on new products and technologies to internal teams, customers, and partners. With 22 partnerships across Canada, including Masters and PhD students utilizing the centre’s expertise and equipment, the ITC is an incubator for innovative technologies that are transforming the industry.

The Innovation and Training Centre's Focus Areas:

Product Technical Support

Providing expert technical support across Eastern Canada.

The ITC plays a crucial role in offering technical support for Lafarge’s Ready-Mix and Aggregates markets in Eastern Canada. Our team provides assistance with product performance, optimization and development, material testing, and troubleshooting to ensure superior performance and tailored solutions for every project.

Innovation: Short-Long Term

Driving innovation for immediate and future needs.

We focus on innovation at every stage—from short-term solutions that address immediate challenges to long-term R&D goals that push the boundaries of sustainable construction. Our centre continually develops new products & solutions, refines processes, and explores cutting-edge technologies to lead the way in developing greener and high-performance materials in the construction industry.

Technical Training

Empowering the industry with knowledge and expertise.

The ITC hosts technical training sessions for both internal teams and external partners, including customers, applicators, and consultants. From hands-on workshops to advanced theoretical courses, we train the industry on new products, application techniques, and the latest technologies to foster continuous development.

Start-Ups & Academic Partnerships

Collaborating to accelerate innovation.

With partnerships across 22 universities in Canada, the ITC acts as a hub for innovation through research collaborations and supporting startups. Masters and PhD students utilize our facilities to jointly develop new technologies, advancing construction materials and methods that will shape the future of the industry.

Our Capabilities

Concrete, Aggregate, and Soil Testing:

Pavement Material Testing:

Innovation Development:

Training Programs:

Includes compressive and flexural strength, drying shrinkage, modulus of resilience, permeability, and flow rate testing.

Features cutting-edge equipment like the Precision Unbound Material Analyzer (PUMA), capable of testing soil and aggregate resilience.

Focuses on the development of low-carbon concrete, circular economy initiatives utilizing construction demolition materials, and sustainable UHPC development for new Repair and Renovation applications such as overlay, fire resistance and architectural designs.

The ITC hosts internal and external training sessions for Lafarge teams, industry partners, and customers, ensuring continuous development of new products and technologies.

Innovative Projects

The ITC leads several key projects, demonstrating its role in advancing sustainable construction:

Low-Carbon Concrete Solutions: Developing advanced low-carbon concrete, including carbon-neutral and carbon-negative concrete mixes.
Circular Economy with RCA Concrete: Utilizing construction demolition materials in concrete mixes to promote recycling and reduce environmental impact.
UHPC Advancements: Creating new applications for sustainable Ultra-High Performance Concrete (UHPC) development for new Repair and Renovation applications such as overlay, fire resistance and architectural designs
100% Recycled Concrete Mixes: Pioneering the use of fully recycled materials in concrete production.
Smart Digital Solutions: Leveraging SMART technologies such as Therma, Flow, Cast, and Match Cure for real-time monitoring and optimization of concrete performance.

Our Team:

Bringing expertise and innovation to the forefront.

The team at our Innovation and Training Centre is made up of highly qualified professionals with extensive experience in the construction materials industry. Our experts include innovation leaders, engineers, specialists, and senior technicians, many of whom hold advanced degrees such as PhDs, Master’s, and Bachelor’s in construction materials and related fields. This diverse group brings together years of accumulated knowledge and a shared commitment to innovation and excellence, driving the development of cutting-edge solutions for Lafarge and the industry.

Get in Touch

Address: 54 Polson Street, Toronto, ON, M5A 1A5
Phone: 416-466-1753
Email: itc@lafarge.com