Sherbrooke, Quebec, August 23,
2006 - While passing through the region today, the Honourable
Jean-Pierre Blackburn, Minister of Labour and Minister of
Canada Economic Development, announced the awarding of $992,000 in
non-repayable funding to Biomed Développement to foster the growth
of the Estrie node of excellence in life sciences. This organization's project
consists of carrying out strategic work that will enable it, in collaboration
with its partners, to establish a structured development plan and develop tools
to help market this node of excellence on foreign markets. The funding will also
serve to support the operations of Biomed Développement's innovating
business incubator.
The mission of Biomed Développement is to promote the
establishment and expansion of innovating enterprises operating in the region's
human health biotechnology sector, particularly in the Parc biomédical de
Sherbrooke. The organization's mandate also includes developing Estrie's
node of excellence in life sciences and promoting it beyond our borders.
The Parc biomédical de Sherbrooke, which is entirely dedicated to the
life sciences, includes a university teaching hospital, faculty of medicine,
network of research centres (with nearly 200 researchers) and technology
park for enterprises of all sizes. This integrated technological infrastructure
is the envy of sectoral stakeholders across Canada and North America. "It brings
together, in a single location, all of the services relating to the design and
development of medications. Biomed Développement's scientific
environment therefore represents a world-class strength on which we must
capitalize," explained Minister Blackburn.
The development and international renown of Estrie's node of excellence in
life sciences centres on the collaboration and synergy among various regional
partners, among them the City of Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke and
Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CHUS). "All of the
ingredients are there to make this project a success!," Minister Blackburn
concluded.
The life sciences are seen as one of the key sectors of tomorrow. According
to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), health
spending by G-7 countries has risen steadily over the past 15 years.
Statistics Canada reports that in 2003, Canada had 496 biotechnology firms in
operation. Since 1997, the sector's revenues have more than quadrupled,
illustrating its rapid growth. Today, these enterprises generate
$3.8 billion in revenues and employ some 12,000 people, 3,695 of them
in Quebec alone.
In 1995, the health sector became a key development priority for the Estrie
region. Canada Economic Development (CED) has been a partner of the
Parc biomédical from the beginning, supporting its growth and expansion
for the past decade. The Agency has contributed nearly $9 million toward
equipping the region with top-calibre research facilities (Institut de
pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Centre de recherche clinique du CHUS).
Since its creation, Biomed Développement has benefited from nearly
$2.2 million in funding from the Agency, including $1.5 million for
the acquisition of strategic equipment for the incubator it has set up within
the Centre de développement des biotechnologies de Sherbrooke
(CDB).
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Sources:
Lyne MontpellierCommunicationsCanada Economic
DevelopmentMauricie, Centre du Québec and EstrieTel.: 819-371-5138
E-mail: lyne.montpellier@dec-ced.gc.ca
Roxane MarchandPress SecretaryOffice of the Honourable
Jean-Pierre BlackburnCanada Economic
DevelopmentTel.: 819-953-5646Cell.: 613-816-5094E-mail: roxane.marchand@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
Canada Economic Development is on line at www.dec-ced.gc.ca.
