Health and Nutrition
Financing and investment
More than $1 billion in investments
The boom currently underway in Quebec City’s life sciences sector has led to the founding of new companies, in addition to the announcement or completion of a number of mega-projects (primarily expansions and modernizations) and the opening of new head offices. This amounts to more than $1 billion in investments since 2006, with some 1,625 jobs created. Announced or completed project include:
- New head office for Anapharm, a subsidiary of the PharmaNet Development Group, representing a $25 million investment (150,000 sq. ft.).
- GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals: $199 million in investments since 2006.
- New diagnostic testing labs for BD Diagnostics-GeneOhm, as part of a $40 million investment (65,000 sq. ft.).
- Brand new Functional and Human Genomics Research Centre and expansion of the Infectious Diseases Research Centre (CHUL-CHUQ), as part of a $42 million investment.
- Launch of NeuroCité, a scientific and academic complex focused on neuron and brain disease research. The facility consists of two research centres, in addition to a specialized science and technology park devoted to promoting research while attracting pharmaceutical and biotech companies to the region ($250 million investment). Over 1,500 jobs are expected to be created by 2017.
- Expansion of Quebec City’s Hôtel Dieu hospital facility - a $472 million investment.
- Expansion of the Laval Hospital Research Centre - a $30 million investment.
- Creation of Pegase Medical Inc., which develops and distributes natural-source health products in the animal health sector.
- Launch of a technology and research centre aimed at developing and pilot testing gas separation membranes for Vaperma (22,000 sq. ft.).
- Construction of a $5 million state-of-the-art facility by OmegaChem (20,000 sq. ft.) following the signing of an $8.5 million agreement between the firm and pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.
- Atrium Innovations, headquartered in Quebec City, leads the way in developing, manufacturing and marketing products for the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, chemical and nutrition industries. For the sixth year in a row, the company is ranked among the top 2007 Growth Leaders after recording an explosive 983% increase in sales. Since 2000, Atrium has acquired 11 companies.
- Fall 2007 construction of an $8 million pilot plant facility for Purcell Technologies, which specializes in botanical medications and cosmeceuticals.
- Biscuits Leclerc, $40 million investment in a new peanut-free plant capable of producing up to 1,000 kg of chocolate chips per hour.
- Bergeron Cheese, $10 million investment to produce Laughing Cow brand cheese (sub-contracted by Fromagerie Bel, the French cheesemaker).
- Grizzly, one of Quebec’s leading smoked fish production companies, acquired a computerized high-tech production line - the only one of its kind in North America - as part of an investment valued at more than $1 million).
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