Govt. invests $360M to strengthen biomanufacturing and life sciences sector
by CM Staff
The goal is to provide researchers with the competitive advantages they need to maintain the health and security of Canadians.
MONTREAL — Minister of Tourism, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, has announced more than $360 million in funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support the research infrastructure needs of Canada’s biomanufacturing and life sciences sector.
She made the announcement at Polytechnique Montréal on behalf of the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Mark Holland, Minister of Health.
CFI is helping the country’s institutions prepare for pandemics and other health emergencies through its Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund (BRIF). The fund’s goal is to provide researchers with the competitive advantages they need to maintain the prosperity, health and security of Canadians now and in the future.
The funding will support 14 infrastructure projects that will contribute to building Canada’s capacity to identify and monitor pathogens through new technologies and improved processes. Identifying and addressing bottlenecks and gaps to ensure the country’s biomanufacturing processes are reliable, scalable and adaptable.
They will also strengthen the collaborative biomanufacturing ecosystem while providing hands-on training across a range of career trajectories and stages. Researching and developing new vaccines, antibiotics and immune-based therapeutics.
Improving diagnostic testing, including working with marginalized communities to address diagnostic gaps
Preparing policy and practice to increase public trust in, and access to, safe and effective vaccines and other bioscience innovations.
“We must ensure the health and safety of all Canadians today and in the future,” said Roseann O’Reilly Runte, President and CEO of the CFI.
“The projects funded through the Biosciences Research Infrastructure Fund will play a critical role in our country’s rapid response to future pandemics. This state-of-the-art equipment will be used by academic and private-sector researchers to develop innovative medical interventions and treatments and will help cement Canada’s place as a leader in this growing field.”
This national competition is a partnership with the Canada Biomedical Research Fund (CBRF).
