Western Canada's life sciences cluster

Western Canada’s life sciences cluster is diverse and covers a broad spectrum of activity, including biopharmaceuticals, medical assistive technologies, agricultural biotechnology and food processing technologies.

A review of the life sciences cluster based on profiles developed by provincial industry associations indicates that British Columbia and Alberta have combined strengths in biopharmaceutical research and product development. Alberta also shares common research activities with Saskatchewan and Manitoba related to animal and food discoveries. Notably, Alberta, Manitoba and British Columbia have strengths in the creation and development of medical assistive technologies.

Across all provinces, the application of genomics to a cross-section of living forms provides a common thread of research and potential product development. Genomics research is being undertaken with wide-ranging application including in humans, plants, animals and the resource cluster. Table 4.1 illustrates the concentration of life science activity for each province.

Table 4.1 Life sciences focus in Western Canada

Life Science Focus	British Columbia	Alberta	Saskatchewan	Manitoba
Biopharmaceuticals	X	X	X	X
Biopharmaceutical manufacturing				X
Bioinformatics	X
Medical devices	X	X		X (Diagnostics)
Nanotechnology	X	X
Agricultural biotechnology	X	X	X	X
Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals		X	X	X
Industrial bioproducts	X	X	X (Biofuels)
Environmental	X	X (Climate life sciences)	X (Microbial)
Marine	X
Forestry	X

Source: Provincial Industry Associations

Statistics Canada has been surveying Western Canada’s biotechnology ¹ cluster since 1997. The latest survey in 2005 indicated that between 1997 and 2003, there was strong growth in the number of firms in each Western Canadian province.  Details are provided in Table 4.2.

Table 4.2 Increase in the number of innovative biotechnology firms, by province, 1997 to 2003.

Province	1997	1999	2001	2003
British Columbia	52	71	69	91
Alberta	19	28	24	44
Saskatchewan	19	16	17	34
Manitoba	6	6	11	21
Total Western Canada	96	121	121	190
Rest of Canada	186	237	254	300
Total Canada	282	358	375	490
Source: Canadian trends in biotechnology, 2nd Edition, Statistics Canada, 2005.

British Columbia life sciences cluster

Cluster size and focus

At present, British Columbia’s life sciences cluster is made up of 340 companies employing approximately 4,000 people. Biopharmaceuticals make up the largest component of life sciences in British Columbia and has the largest concentration of public and private investment in research, company formation and commercial success. British Columbia is home to approximately 91 biopharmaceutical companies with 2,173 employees and $779 million in annual revenues. According to Ernst & Young’s 2005 global biotechnology report, BC has the 7th largest grouping of biopharmaceutical companies in North America.

Other areas of strategic focus include: medical assistive technologies, bio-products and bioinformatics. The BC Medical Device Technologies Association (BC MedTech) reports 63 member companies directly involved with device creation, while the BC BioProducts Association reports 25 companies with approximately 120 employees.

Additional focus in life sciences includes research in areas of nanotechnology, agriculture (wine grape genomics), marine (aquaculture), forestry, and environmental.

Research Infrastructure

British Columbia is home to several research universities that provide infrastructure and technology transfer services for life sciences research. These universities include the University of British Columbia (UBC), the University of Victoria (UVic), Simon Fraser University (SFU), and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). Each institution collaborates with for-profit and not-for-profit industry partners on a variety of research programs.

A selection of the centres and institutes housed in these institutions include:

• Michael Smith Biotechnology Laboratories - The Michael Smith Biotechnology Laboratories at UBC is Canada’s first interdisciplinary biotechnology unit, founded in 1987, which focuses on human and animal molecular genetics, fermentation and bio-process engineering, plant and forestry molecular genetics and bioinformatics
• Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT) - Affiliated with UBC and located at the BC Women’s and Children’s Hospital, CMMT is focused on understanding how changes in genes cause diseases that affect both children and adults. CMMT has core facilities in bioinformatics, transgenics, genotyping, and DNA sequencing
• University of Victoria - Genome British Columbia Proteomics Centre (UVic-GBC) - The Proteomics Centre provides service and support for proteomics research in the areas of protein identification and characterization, and quantitative proteomics for biomarker discovery and validation. GBC is supported by a collaborative relationship with Genome BC and Genome Prairie
• The Bioinformatics Centre at Simon Fraser University - The Centre offers training and research in bioinformatics and is currently conducting research in microbial pathogen bioinformatics
• University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) - UNBC’s DNA Analysis, Sequencing and Processing facility will serve as a research facility for the new UBC/UNBC Northern Medical Program (NMP) and for the recently opened Rural and Remote Health Research Institute (RRHRI)
• British Columbia (BC) Cancer Agency and Foundation - The BC Cancer Agency is an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority and provides a comprehensive cancer control program by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care
• Centre for Drug Research and Development (CDRD) - The innovative CDRD model is designed to encourage the commercialization of drug discovery research. CDRD joins together drug research institutes with a private, for-profit company. The company will select, evaluate and licence drug discoveries to existing companies, or spin off new companies based on the discovery. Revenues generated from commercialization will be reinvested in the centre.

Alberta life sciences cluster

Cluster size and focus

Alberta is home to over 100 biotechnology companies of which 61 are involved in biopharmaceuticals, 20 in industrial bio-products, and 19 in agricultural biotechnology. Approximately 3,300 ² employees work directly in Alberta’s biotechnology industry, and combined revenues of biotechnology firms exceeded $380 million in 2004.

Alberta’s life sciences industry includes research and education centres focused on three areas: health, agri-food and environmental science.

• Health – Alberta researchers are recognized for their work in diabetes, oncology, infectious diseases, immunosuppressant therapies, heart research, pediatric care and HIV/AIDS research
• Agri-Food – Alberta’s historical agricultural base provides a base for agricultural research, resulting in more resistant grains, more effective pest control and food safety research
• Environmental Science – Alberta researchers concentrate on water and air quality, and the development of new applications for renewable natural products.

Research Infrastructure

Major research organizations and facilities in Alberta include:

• University of Alberta - The University of Alberta is the province’s largest research institution offering an environment for primary research with more than 60 centres and institutes performing research in the life sciences. Successes include the Edmonton Protocol treatment for Type 1 diabetes, and research into treatments for cardiac diseases in both adults and children
• Alberta Research Council - The Alberta Research Council (ARC) specializes in converting bench research into marketable products and services, and is a leader in pre-clinical testing in all areas of the life sciences
• Edmonton Research Park - Established in 1980, the Park facilitates the growth of Alberta's young technology companies by providing essential infrastructure, advanced research facilities and management support services
• National Institute for Nanotechnology - NINT is operated as a partnership between the National Research Council and the University of Alberta, and is jointly funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta and the University. The main focus of research is the integration of nano-scale devices and materials into complex nanosystems that are connected to the outside world
• Northern Alberta Clinical Trials and Research Centre (NACTRC) - NACTRC was established in Edmonton in 1999, as a joint venture between Capital Health and the University of Alberta to provide pharmaceutical and research companies with facilities for conducting Phase I to III clinical trials and research projects.

Saskatchewan life sciences cluster

Cluster size and focus

Saskatchewan is home to over 30 percent of Canada’s agricultural-biotech industry. With 57 private bio-based research and development companies researching and/or manufacturing products and technologies, Saskatchewan companies employ over 770 people in life sciences.
Specific areas of focus include:

• Agricultural biotechnology
• Plant and food biotechnology including nutraceuticals
• Plant and animal genome science.

Recently, Saskatchewan has taken a lead in the research and application of biofuels and renewable energy. The establishment of the Saskatchewan Ethanol Development Council and Saskatchewan Research Council’s Biofuels Test Centre demonstrates the commitment of the Province to produce renewable energy resources that deal with climate change.

Saskatchewan’s strength in agricultural biotechnology is founded in its farming community, access to 70 million acres of cropland, and research infrastructure. The research anchor in the province is the University of Saskatchewan, one of only two universities in Canada having five life science colleges dedicated to the study of human, animal and plant life.

Research infrastructure

Other research institutes and facilities co-located at the University of Saskatchewan campus include the following:

• Canadian Light Source Inc. (CLS) - CLS provides a synchrotron for academic and industrial researchers to use in various scientific applications including life science applications. (A synchrotron is a machine that accelerates a stream of electrons that when manipulated produces an extremely bright light or X-ray)
• Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) - VIDO is a non-profit organization owned by the University of Saskatchewan. VIDO undertakes the research and development of vaccine and immunotherapeutic technologies for livestock and humans. It is credited with five "world firsts" in animal vaccine research, and is expanding into human health applications
• National Research Council–Plant Biotechnology Institute (NRC–PBI) - NRC-PBI is a major research centre for plant biosciences in Canada with expertise in genomics, metabolic pathways, gene expression, genetic transformation, structured biology, and natural product chemistry
• Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) - SRC was established in 1947 to advance the development of the province in the physical sciences. The company sells R&D and technology services and products to companies in Saskatchewan and globally. Specific to the life sciences cluster, SRC provides services in animal and plant genetic testing, fermentation facilities, and biofuels research
• POS Pilot Plant - The POS Pilot Plant is a confidential contract research, toll processing³, and analytical services organization specializing in the extraction, fractionation, purification and modification of bio-based materials
• Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Saskatoon Research Centre - The Centre specializes in agricultural biotechnology and includes three research farms. Its work is focused on improved germplasm of oilseed and forage crops, crop production and pest control practices, and processes and products that expand the utilization of Prairie crops.

Manitoba life sciences cluster

Cluster size and focus

An estimated 4,200 persons are employed in Manitoba’s life sciences cluster of which 2,300 are employed at 41 private companies operating. Of these, five companies account for over 1,800 (or about 80%) of employees. Another 1,900 persons are employed in 30 life science research and development organizations and 23 service firms.

Manitoba’s life sciences cluster has strengths in pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical research and development, production, medical research, medical diagnostics, and agricultural biotechnology. Specific cluster capabilities include: cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, neuroscience, metabolism and nutrition, cell biology and gene technology, and plant breeding.

Other complementary capabilities within Manitoba’s life sciences cluster include advanced expertise in the development of cereal and oilseed crop varieties and cereal genomics, especially concentrated at the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Agriculture, the Cereal Research Centre, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

Research infrastructure

Winnipeg is the centre of life science activity in the province and is home to several major research organizations. The main academic institution is the University of Manitoba, which collaborates closely with hospitals and other organizations on life sciences initiatives. Key Manitoba life science institutions include:

• University of Manitoba - The University of Manitoba conducts significant research across the life sciences spectrum.  The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), Division of Neurodegenerative Disorders (DND) and Canadian Centre for Agrifood Research in Health and Medicine (CCARM) are co-located at the St. Boniface hospital
• St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre - The St. Boniface General Hospital Research Centre encompasses three free-standing medical research facilities - the G. Campbell MacLean Building, the Dr. Andrei Sakharov MRI Centre, and the I.H. Asper Clinical Research Institute - all operated with a combination of peer reviewed research grants, industry contracts, fund raising, and affiliation with the University of Manitoba. The St. Boniface Hospital has a research mandate in cardiovascular disease, MRI, and senile dementia
• Winnipeg Regional Health Authority, Health Sciences Centre - Siemens Institute for Advanced Medicine - Through the Institute for Advanced Medicine, it is the intent of the Health Sciences Centre to reposition the organization to expand its clinical practice into the area of innovation. Construction for the Institute is currently in progress with completion expected in late 2008. The Siemens Institute for Advanced Medicine will focus on advancements in neurosciences, infectious diseases, advanced imaging and medical informatics, as well as new advanced surgical techniques
• National Research Council Institute for Biodiagnostics (NRC-IBD) - Established in 1992, the NRC-IBD develops non-invasive medical devices and techniques to increase prospects for prevention, earlier diagnosis, improved treatment and prognosis of disease
• International Centre for Infectious Diseases, Inc. (ICID) - The International Centre for Infectious Diseases is a Winnipeg-based not-for-profit corporation with a mission to advance Canada’s infectious diseases capacity, and to facilitate the application of Canadian infectious diseases expertise on both a national and international level.

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¹ Statistics Canada follows the OECD definition of biotechnology, see section 3.3 for complete definition.

² In BioAlberta’s recent industry report, the employment reported does not include government, research organizations, universities, and service and support firms, which also employ bio industry staff.

³ Toll processing can be defined as performing a service on a customer’s product for a fee which could include blending existing products into a new product. Typically, customers do not have the equipment to perform this function in-house so contracts with a toll processor to produce the new, blended product. The customer then pays a service fee to the toll processor typically in terms of $/kilo. of material processed. (Taken from an article by Rick Ritter, Bill Mitchell, Dennis Sarno & Dan Bopp of Wedco Inc.)