Canada's pandemic preparedness got a boost today with word French pharmaceutical company Sanofi is building a new biomanufacturing facility to make vaccines in Toronto.
The facility will cost nearly a billion dollars and the province is contributing $55 million towards its construction in the form of a performance-based loan.
In announcing the province's investment, Premier Doug Ford said the facility will ensure Canada will never have to scramble to buy vaccines again.
"We are now never going to have to rely on any country (or) leader," said Ford "We'll be self sufficient so thank you for this."
Minister of Innovation Science and Industry, Francois-Phillipe Champagne announced the federal government is contributing $415 million to the project to ensure Canada is ready for the next pandemic.
"If there is one lesson learned from the current COVID pandemic it is that we need to have a strong, Canadian biomanufacturing sector so that when the next pandemic hits, whatever it might be, we will be prepared as nation," said Champagne.
The state-of-the-art facility will create 300 "high quality" jobs and will manufacture the Fluzone® influenza vaccine that's approved for people 65 and older. A release from the province stated "it will include industrial scale formulation, filling, and packaging."
It will also create supporting jobs for scientists, service providers, construction workers, egg farmers, and transportation.
Sanofi itself will contribute $79 million a year in research and development in Ontario for more than $500 million over the course of the agreement.