The Government of Canada announces biomanufacturing and life sciences strategy

Investments will grow a strong, competitive biomanufacturing and life sciences sector in Canada and protect Canadians against future epidemics and pandemics

July 28, 2021 – Vancouver, British Columbia

Canada has an impressive history in biomanufacturing and life sciences., from the discovery of insulin one hundred years ago, to the Canadian scientists who were instrumental in developing the polio and Ebola vaccines, to the Canadian veterinarian who discovered the first blood thinner.

However, a 40-year decline in the sector left Canada without the large-scale and flexible biomanufacturing capacity necessary to quickly produce a COVID-19 vaccine when the pandemic hit. This is why the Government of Canada has worked tirelessly to rebuild Canada’s domestic biomanufacturing sector by focusing on both short-term strategic solutions and a long‑term vision. The Government of Canada has already invested over $1.2 billion to rebuild Canada’s vaccine, therapeutics and biomanufacturing capacity right here at home.

As Canadians begin to look towards a post-pandemic future, the Government of Canada continues to build resiliency in Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences sector as part of the government’s recovery plan. Through strategic investments informed by experts, we are strengthening Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences sector, improving economic growth and ensuring pandemic readiness for years to come.

Today, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health, launched the Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. This means more than $2.2 billion over seven years from Budget 2021 to continue growing a strong and competitive sector and to ensure our country is prepared for future pandemics.

The Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy is driven by two objectives: to grow a strong, competitive domestic life sciences sector, with cutting-edge biomanufacturing capabilities, while creating good jobs for Canadians, and to make sure Canada is prepared for pandemics and other health emergencies in the future. This includes increasing domestic capacity through investments and partnerships to produce life-saving vaccines and therapeutics.

The strategy consists of five pillars:

1. Strong and Coordinated Governance: Enabling rapid decision-making, informed by experts; and, to ensure our investments achieve maximum impact.
2. Laying a Solid Foundation by Strengthening Research Systems and the Talent Pipeline: From post-secondary institutions, research hospitals and Canadian scientists, we are supporting the foundational inputs necessary to have a healthy life sciences ecosystem. Afterall, there is no point having a state-of-the-art factory if we don’t have the people and talent to run it.
3. Growing Businesses by Doubling Down on Existing and Emerging Areas of Strength: We will continue to support Made-in-Canada solutions through the Strategic Innovation Fund to rebuild the sector. We have a strong pipeline of projects across the country that will create thousands of good jobs for Canadians while closing key gaps in our biomanufacturing supply chain.
4. Building Public Capacity: Taking advantage of the new capacity coming online at Canada’s National Research Council, including its new Biologics Manufacturing Centre. With this new facility built ahead of schedule, we will be able to produce vaccines for whatever the future may hold.
5. Enabling Innovation by Ensuring World Class Regulation: Lastly, this will make Canada a more attractive destination for leading life sciences firms to establish and grow. Overall, this will help us grow a strong and competitive domestic life sciences sector, and ensure Canada’s readiness for future pandemics or other health emergencies.

Together, the strategy’s five pillars will achieve meaningful results for Canadians by building strength across the sector’s entire value chain, from research and talent to clinical trials, to industrial capabilities and, finally, to the regulatory environment supporting all of these areas. The strategy will improve Canada’s pandemic preparedness for years to come, while creating good quality jobs for Canadians across the country. It will also establish an enduring, coordinated framework for working in alignment across federal departments and agencies responsible for the discovery, development, production and deployment of critical medicines for Canadians, while continuing to rely on the advice of experts.