March 16, 2005 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan -- Prime Minister Paul Martin today announced on behalf of the Government of Canada $24 million over four years to establish the International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan, which will significantly increase Canada’s preparedness for a major health pandemic. This funding is in addition to $19.2 million already contributed to InterVac by the Canada Foundation for Innovation. “ Today’s investment will enable us to protect Canadians from a potential health crisis using leading-edge research and knowledge that will give Saskatchewan and Canada an economic advantage in this area of health sciences,” said the Prime Minister. “The new InterVac facility will develop and test vaccines that prevent emerging diseases from reaching Canadians while safeguarding people around the world. ” “InterVac and other pioneering centres of research like VIDO and the Canadian Light Source are attracting the best and brightest to Saskatchewan in particular and Canada generally,” said the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Finance. “The work being undertaken has global implications and will further establish the University of Saskatchewan as a world leader in human and animal health research.” “We are delighted by the Federal Government’s commitment to this important project,” said Peter MacKinnon, President of the University of Saskatchewan. “InterVac builds on the exceptional work already being done at VIDO. It will complete a cluster of world-class life sciences research capacity on our campus that is unique in North America.” InterVac is a $61.8 million facility being built at the University of Saskatchewan campus through its existing Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO). As a Level 3 research facility, InterVac will develop vaccines to protect people and animals from the threat of emerging diseases including avian influenza ("bird flu"), the West Nile virus and SARS ( Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) . InterVac will help retain skilled Canadian health science researchers and attract researchers from around the world. It will also create construction jobs and about 20 highly skilled jobs. With its unique capability to conduct large animal infectious disease research, this new facility will help Saskatchewan and Canada seize global opportunities in vaccine research. When it officially opens in 2009, InterVac will be the only facility of its kind in Western Canada with this capacity for large animal research. It will join a network of almost 90 Level 3 labs either operational or in progress across the country. Many are smaller facilities attached to provincial health departments or medical schools. InterVac builds on the expertise and reputation of VIDO, which has been in operation for 28 years, and the research successes of the College of Medicine and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine, which are also located at the University of Saskatchewan. Together these facilities strengthen its international reputation as well as the capacity to attract additional funding and leading-edge researchers to Saskatchewan. VIDO, the primary collaborator in InterVac, is a not-for-profit research centre owned by the U of S. It has achieved five world firsts in vaccine development and has been awarded more than 60 patents, with more than 30 pending. It has become a unique and valuable part of Canada's national biotechnology research infrastructure. VIDO’s research prowess has been recognized in Canada and worldwide. Western Economic Diversification Canada is delivering the $24 million announced today. Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2005 federal Budget. - 30 - For additional information, contact: Joanne Mysak Manager, Communications Western Economic Diversification Canada Saskatoon, SK Tel: (306) 975-5942 E-mail: joanne.mysak@wd.gc.ca WD Toll-Free Number 1-888-338-WEST (9378) World Wide Web Site: English: http://www.wd.gc.ca French: http://www.deo.gc.ca Backgrounder The establishment of this International Vaccine Centre (InterVac) is a Government of Canada response to the potential threat of a global pandemic. The research and scientific discoveries to be made have the potential to eradicate pandemics and save the lives of millions of Canadians and people around the globe. Canada will be at the forefront of this leading-edge research. InterVac will be a national research facility based in Saskatoon on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The university is already a centre of excellence for innovative and scientific research, which is being conducted at many of its facilities. Three examples are the Canadian Light Source synchrotron facility, the National Research Council’s Plant Biotechnology Institute and the Western College of Veterinary Medicine. It will cost $61.8 million to construct the InterVac facility as part of the existing Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) on the University of Saskatchewan campus. VIDO is a financially self-reliant, non-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan. The Government of Canada is committing $19 million from Budget 2005 and $5 million from Western Economic Diversification Canada, in addition to a $19 million contribution from the Canada Foundation for Innovation, announced in March 2004, to establish this facility. Today’s investment is a key part of the Government of Canada’s five-year, $34 million initiative to increase Canada’s preparedness for an outbreak of an influenza pandemic. This funding was included in Budget 2005. The need for research on infectious diseases of animals is underscored by the estimate that 50 per cent of all human infectious diseases and 79 per cent of all new or emerging diseases have arisen in animals. Laboratories dealing with human pathogens must be certified by Health Canada’s Office of Laboratory Security. Level 3 and 4 labs dealing strictly with animal pathogens are certified by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Once InterVac is operating, the biosafety program at the University of Saskatchewan will monitor the facility, ensuring adherence to federal regulations. InterVac’s many special features will ensure the safety of workers, the community and the environment. Air as well as effluent will be filtered and sterilized. InterVac, housing Saskatchewan’s first Level 3 labs dealing with human and animal diseases, will be used by researchers at several University of Saskatchewan colleges, by the provincial government, and academic, research and government institutions in Canada and abroad.
