OTTAWA — On a drizzly morning in an office park in west-end Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a deal with Ericsson CEO Börje Ekholm to “advance research and development toward next-generation 5G and 6G networks” at the Swedish company’s locations in the capital and in Montreal.

Here’s what you need to know.

What we get: U.S. President Joe Biden doesn’t miss a chance to link his government’s spending on things like the CHIPS and Science Act to jobs, jobs, jobs. From the lectern in Ottawa where Trudeau and Ekholm spoke, a sign hung with the day’s message: “Creating more good jobs.”

But no precise number of new hires to Ericsson’s current 3,100-strong Canadian workforce is promised beyond 60 additional internships a year.

Trudeau and Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne talked up the significance of re-skilling Ericsson’s current staff so they can drive the next generation of networks through advances in wireless connectivity, quantum computing and AI for mobile networks.

“These technologies are essential to our economy. They’re essential to areas like health care and education,” Trudeau said.

Communications jobs are also green jobs, Ekholm said.

The industry contributes about 1.4 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, “but actually we can lower total greenhouse gases by 15 per cent leveraging digital technologies.”

How much public money: Yet to be decided. The project’s value is $470 million but all that’s been agreed so far is a memorandum of understanding. Timelines and the level of federal support will be confirmed “in the near future,” the PMO said.

It’s not about money: “Yes, at every announcement like this one, the federal government does step up to help support these important investments companies are making, but it’s not about money,” said Trudeau. 

“You don’t attract Ericsson here in Canada with money,” agreed Champagne.

It’s a little bit about money: Money is not unimportant, Ekholm said during his turn at the microphone.

“We’re still negotiating,” he said. “I’m at the table, right?”

But, he said, the talent in Canada is the key for Ericsson in the long term. He praised the country’s open, immigrant-friendly society and education systems, and said that package is more important than “something you get at the outset.”

Criticism: The Council of Canadian Innovators condemned the announcement.

“This is exactly the wrong mindset for achieving meaningful growth in the innovation economy,” read a statement from president Ben Bergen, who was an aide to Chrystia Freeland before she became finance minister. “Intellectual property ownership and the ability to commercialize R&D are far more economically impactful than a relatively small number of jobs which will go to highly in-demand professionals who already have no trouble finding high-paying work.”