How is Canada Positioning Itself to Become a Strong Bio-Based Economy?

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By Chris Rogers

With National Biotech Week going into its fifth year, BioteCanada is once again partnering with companies and institutions to deliver a week full of biotechnology related events from coast to coast. The initiative has seen tremendous growth in its short life, and now events range from meetings between government and senior industry executives, to municipal events such as an education day and “BIOlympics” for high-school students in London, ON. Biotechnology Focus recently spoke with Peter Brenders, president of BioteCanada to talk about National Biotechnology Week and get his thoughts on the life sciences industry in Canada.

With a broad range of cross-country events National Biotech week is certainly enjoying an increased profile, “we’re seeing more events than we ever have, with communities all across the country engaged and celebrating Canada’s technology,” says Brenders. Even better is the amount of participation that is being seen during the week from research, companies and elected officials. Along with increased participation, Brenders adds that more jurisdictions than ever are recognizing the week.

Particular attention should be paid to the launch event, which took place in Montreal on Sept. 18, which kicked off all the festivities, and also to National Advocacy Day on Sept. 23, which will feature “a number of senior industry executives coming to Ottawa to bring the messages and show the breadth of the technologies for our elected officials,” explains Brenders. September 26 will be a day dedicated towards education in biotechnology.

BioteCanada has traveled across the country with a new draft report entitled “Canada: Beyond Moose and Mountains: Building the world’s #1 bio-based economy.” The report will be presented to government officials during this year’s Naitonal Biotechnology Week. BioteCanada took the report to 250 people working across the industry in every region of the country to find out the goals of the industry are as they move forward, “we got great feedback from coast-to-coast,” says Brenders. He explains the goal of the report is to “market what Canada’s capability is and more to the point, what we can become and what we can drive ourselves towards.”

BioteCanada has published a number of annual reports in collaboration with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC). The 2007 forecast highlighted ways that government could continue to support the industry, mainly through tax incentives and continued investment in research grants. “Beyond Moose and Mountains” addresses what Canada can do in the future to build a strong bio-based economy. Brenders has thoughts on the short term goals Canada should set involve tangible changes like removing the Canadian Control of Private Corporations (CCPC) restrictions from the SR&ED credits.

Brenders would like to see the CCPC restriction removed, “our intent is to stimulate more development in Canada, to reward work done in Canada.” According to Brenders this would help ensure that companies remain in Canada.

Both reports point to education as an important part of creating a strong bio-based economy. The PwC 2007 forecast identifies that many Canadian life science companies have difficulties attracting and retaining key employees, especially senior-level executives. BioteCanada’s “Beyond Moose and Moutnains” concludes that increased commitment to bio-based education should be seen as a key to building a strong biotech industry in Canada. Brenders understands the questions involved in using education as a key to a successful strategy, “how do we not only help develop [talent] through our education systems but how do we make sure we have the right incentives to continue to bring in that talent and retain that talent.”

Despite all the effort that goes into these reports and the events of National Biotechnology Week, more work needs to be done. Brenders knows this as well as anyone, “it’s not just one person’s solution it is [everyone’s] solution,” says Brenders, “more work needs to be done.”

BioteCanada has gone a long way to provide Canada’s bio-industry with the goals it should be working towards. “There’s going to have to be a culture of innovation that we will have to build,” says Brenders, “and a framework and structure behind it to support it.” BioteCanada’s advocacy through National Biotechnolgy Week is going a long way to build the frame work for the future of Canada’s bio-based economy.