Taking a look at innovative biotechnology firms

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An innovative biotechnology firm is a firm that uses biotechnology for the purpose of developing new products or processes.
According to Statistics Canada, large biotech companies, those with at least 150 employees, represented only 10% of the 532 biotech firms in 2005, but accounted for 68% of biotech revenues. Three-quarters of all companies were small firms, that is, they had fewer than 50 employees.

More than 75% of the innovative biotechnology firms were in three provinces: Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia. These provinces continue to comprise the bulk of Canadian biotechnology activity, accounting for more than 90% of biotechnology revenues in 2005.

Ontario firms led the way in biotechnology revenues, R&D expenditures and employment, whereas those in Quebec accounted for the largest share of biotechnology firms.
Chart 1 is preliminary data from the 2005 Biotechnology Use and Development Survey from Statistics Canada.

Engineering and Manufacturing
• AUTO 21 Network of Centres of Excellence – University of Windsor, ON
• Intelligent Sensing for Innovative Structures – University of Manitoba, MB

Health, Human Development and Biotechnology
• Advanced Foods and Materials Network – University of Guelph, ON
• Advanced Foods and Materials Network – University of Guelph, ON
• Allergy, Genes and Environment Network – McMaster University, ON
• Canadian Arthritis Network - Mount Sinai Hospital, ON
• Canadian Genetic Diseases Network – University of British Columbia, BC
• Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network – University of Western Ontario, ON
• Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics - Université de Montréal, QC
• Canadian Stroke Network – University of Ottawa, ON
• PrioNet Canada - University of British Columbia, BC
• Stem Cell Network – University of Ottawa, ON

Natural Resources and Environment
• ArcticNet - Université Laval, QC
• Canadian Water Network – University of Waterloo, ON
• Sustainable Forest Management Network - University of Alberta, AB

Five 2006 NCE new initiatives
• Canadian Design Research Network – Simon Fraser University, BC
• Canadian Obesity Network - McMaster University, ON
• Emerging Dynamic Global Economics – University of Ottawa, ON
• National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly – University of Toronto, ON
• Promoting Relationships and Eliminating Violence Network – Queen's
University, ON