An industry association says it’s reaching out to biotechnology companies across Canada to develop a strategy to contend with a labour shortage problem in the sector which has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic. “It’s a highly competitive space. You’re trying to attract talent from around the world to Canada. You’re also trying to retain what you do have here because…
While former U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policies made it increasingly difficult for highly skilled foreign tech workers to settle there, Canada reaped the benefits. Toronto saw the biggest growth in technology jobs of any North American city between 2015 and 2020, while Vancouver, British Columbia also made the top five. Will this trend outlive Trump? “You’ve got a very robust venture…
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…
On July 12, 2021, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry; the Honourable Bill Blair, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness; and the Honourable Patty Hajdu, Minister of Health issued a news release to introduce the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships. Fostering Canada’s open and collaborative academic research environment, including international collaborations, partnerships, and networks, is essential for…
Canadians are rightfully pleased that our country is now among the world leaders in COVID-19 vaccination rates. At the same time, however, our excitement is tempered by the recognition that we have been so dependent on foreign producers to make it happen. Among the many eye-opening impacts of the global pandemic, Canada’s inability to develop and produce vaccines domestically has…
On May 25, 2021, Member of Parliament Kirsty Duncan advanced Motion 38 to create a new Standing Committee for Science and Research (SCSR). The motion received unanimous support from all parties with a vote of 331-0. It recognizes that science and research are of critical importance and essential ingredients to informed decision-making across the economic, environmental and social challenges in Canada.…
Colleges are at the forefront of applied research and development, and their work is vital to driving innovation and delivering tangible benefits within their regions. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, they have shown great strength and resiliency by rapidly mobilizing their resources to conduct pandemic-related applied research, while also maintaining R&D support for local small- to medium-sized enterprises…
A pair of Canadian biotechnology venture capital firms have launched new programs to arm academics with entrepreneurial skills in an effort to help fix a chronic talent gap in the country’s burgeoning life sciences sector. The programs, by Lumira Ventures and Amplitude Venture Capital, join a growing mass of Canadian initiatives aiming to expand the shallow pool of domestic executives…
The federal budget highlighted the vital role biotechnology innovation is playing in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic while aiming to prepare for future pandemic needs and serves as one of the identified key sectors set to drive the economic recovery for Canada. Biotechnology featured as a priority area for the government across many program announcements, reflecting specific industry recommendations including improving…
From the H1N1 pandemic of 2009, Canada recognized it was not ready for a pandemic. “What we were not prepared for was for the pandemic to occur when it did,” said an interviewee at a panel review of Canada’s response to the 2009 H1N1 pandemic. “So, it caught us off guard in that it occurred when it did, that it started…