Months after its grand opening, Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault announced a $533,330 investment from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation to support Science North's $1-million upgrade to its IMAX theatre.
On Feb. 6, Science North reopened its IMAX theatre with an upgraded laser projection system and a new digital sound system with 12 discrete channels and sub-bass.
Science North CEO Guy Labine said attendance for IMAX at the science centre has increased significantly since the upgrade, which has allowed Science North to show major Hollywood blockbusters such as Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Batman Superman, in addition to the large format IMAX documentaries it has hosted for years.
Labine said Science North's board of directors decided the upgrade was important for the long-term viability of the IMAX theatre, and applied for different sources of funding when it made that decision.
“We found out we were getting funding after the theatre was opened,” Labine said. “It's not uncommon in our field. That's how governments work.”
In addition to the provincial funding, the IMAX theatre also received $50,000 from the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation.
