Three years ago, the world turned its attention to the bioscience industry for information and guidance on how to navigate the COVID-19 global pandemic. With the spotlight on the bioscience industry, it’s clear that this sector is vital for health security and economic growth.
Strategic planning
The 2021 federal budget saw the government commit $2.2 billion over seven years toward Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy. The five-pillar national strategy signals the federal government’s investment in both growing and strengthening the domestic biomanufacturing sector.
The Biomanufacturing and Life Sciences Strategy is driven by two objectives: to grow a strong, competitive domestic life sciences sector—with cutting-edge biomanufacturing capabilities—while creating good jobs for Canadians, and to make sure Canada is prepared for future pandemics and other health emergencies. This includes increasing domestic capacity through investments and partnerships to produce life-saving vaccines and therapeutics.
Big numbers
The world’s second highest number of biotechnology companies are concentrated in Canada, according to Business Events Canada. The country is also the tenth largest market for pharmaceutical sales. Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Gilead, Novartis and Johnson & Johnson are among the global leaders conducting research, running clinical trials and manufacturing new drugs in Canada.
The 2021 National Report from BioTalent Canada predicts that the country’s bioeconomy sector will require 65,000 jobs by 2029—this includes 16,140 biomanufacturing workers and 5,160 in bio-health manufacturing alone.
Here at home
Within the Manitoba bioscience industry, there are three subsectors: Health biotech (e.g. digital health, medical technology), Ag biotech (e.g. plant science, precision agriculture, animal health treatments) and Clean biotech (e.g. treatments, diagnostics and therapeutics.)
The Manitoba Technology Accelerator (MTA), a not-for-profit business accelerator, provides entrepreneurs and start-up companies with people and resources to create science and technology-based business opportunities. MTA CEO Marshall Ring says the bioscience industry goes beyond medicine.
“I know a lot of people are intimidated with the concept of bioscience but it really spans much more than building pharmaceuticals and vaccines,” says Ring. “Other sectors like agriculture and functional foods are also in there. It’s a wide-ranging sector that impacts the lives of people in many ways.”
Ring says some of MTA’s most exciting companies are in the bioscience space and that they reflect the diversity of the sector.
“Cubresa is building medical imaging technology, Feed Flow is a technology to help hog producers grow their animals faster and healthier, while PowerHV is helping power utilities reduce their carbon footprint as a clean-tech company,” he says.
Driving the economy
The Bioscience Association of Manitoba (BAM), the province’s sector council, supports members from the subsectors and aims to make people more aware of employment opportunities from local companies. The Manitoba biosciences sector is a large contributor to the provincial economy—according to BAM, it employs 14,330 individuals, generates more than $10.4 billion in revenue and sales as well as $5.2 billion toward the provincial GDP.
Ag biotech contributes the largest share of total industry sales and revenue, largely due to Manitoba’s large agricultural chemical and other farm supplies wholesale sector. A few large companies within health biotech contribute over 70 per cent of total sector revenue.
General medicines are a key part of the bioscience sector and is Manitoba’s top export, according to Economic Development Winnipeg. Manitoba is the second largest province for pharmaceutical manufacturing and key players include Emergent Biosolutions, Bausch Health, International Vitamin Corporation, Vita Health and Pfizer.
Bioscience companies are drawn to Manitoba for several reasons, including our central location, competitive tax credits, qualified personnel and affordable renewable energy. The Manitoba ecosystem includes companies such as MSPrebiotic, Delta 9 Bio-Tech, Farmers Edge, Cerebra Health, Cytophage, The Winning Combination and Precision ADM.
In 2022, BAM conducted a study of the Manitoba bioscience industry. It found that the bioscience industry ranks fourth among all major industries in Manitoba with respect to direct GDP contribution to the province, behind only real estate rental and leasing, manufacturing, healthcare and social assistance. This is largely driven by a few large health biotech companies and one large ag biotech subsector.
According to the study, there’s estimated to be 720 bioscience organizations in Manitoba, an increase from 700 in 2019.
Manitoba is the leading pharmaceutical manufacturing centre in Western Canada and home to world-class research centers, including the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health, also known as the National Microbiology Lab (the only level-four biocontainment lab in Canada), the Chronic Disease Innovation Centre and the Canadian Centre for Agri-food Research in Health and Medicine.
Canada is also strengthening research systems and the talent pipeline through investments in post-secondary institutions and affiliated research hospitals. Here in Manitoba, the University of Manitoba, The University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytech have programs that span research and technology, and many companies within the biomanufacturing sector rely on local graduates to fill the workforce pipeline.
The last three years have demonstrated that the biosciences sector plays an important role in preparing for future pandemics. And by investing in training and talent, the closer we’ll be to developing solutions that improve health outcomes both in Canada and globally.
