Quebec Commits $250 Million for Biotech

A new biotech-opolis in Quebec soon may serve as one of the best organized business centers for biotech, biopharmaceutical, and biocomputer companies in the world, government leaders hope. The Quebec government, Investissement Quebec, the City of Laval, Laval Technopole and Institut national de la recherche re scientifique (INRS), are investing $250 million over five years in cash, in-kind donations, and forgone tax revenues to support the massive cluster project. Additional partners include various academic, economic and scientific communities in metropolitan Montreal and Laval.



The City of Biotechnology and Human Health of Metropolitan Montreal, or Biotech City for short, will function as a business and science center, with more than $100 million alone coming from INRS to equip the city with major scientific facilities and to restructure the INRS’s Armand-Frappier campus. The INRS focuses on research and learning at the graduate school level while responding to the economic, social and cultural needs of Quebec.



Biotech City – being situated on almost 11 million sq. ft. in the Laval Science and High Technology Park – will house numerous centers for research, learning, commercial and new business development, and will accommodate biotech and biopharmaceutical companies. The centers will include:

• The Microbiology and Biotechnology Center will focus on studying microorganisms and looking for environmental and industrial applications.
• The Human Health Research Center will address health problems such as AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, allergies, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, transplant rejection and conditions related to systems of the body (nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular and reproductive).
• The Experimental Biology Center will double in capacity, making it one of the largest such centers in Canada. A new, experimental biology center will serve to meet the needs of universities and businesses.
• The Plant Biology Center will research plant biotechnologies, medicinal plants and organic growing and will perform large-scale experiments.
• The Ambulatory Technology Research Center will develop ambulatory technology expertise and commercialize applications, promote university spin-offs and house businesses specialized in the field.
• The Bioscience Training and Interpretation Center will have rooms for exhibits, training sessions, conferences, videoconferencing and a virtual library and will accommodate the head office of the Biotech City.

More than 30 biotech firms already reside in the Biotech City. The Quebec government is offering several tax incentives to entice more companies to locate within the Laval Science and High Technology Park.



More information about the Biotech City at http://www.citebiotech.com