Life Sciences and Biotechnology

Invested in innovation

The centre of western Canadian pharmaceutical excellence

As the leading pharmaceutical manufacturing centre in Western Canada, Manitoba is a hub for life sciences and biotechnology. Our life sciences industry contributed $5.2 billion to our provincial GDP in 2021, making it Manitoba's fourth-largest industry sector. Manitoba is the second-largest province for pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing in Canada with $5.4 billion in exports (2022).

It includes a diverse range of companies working in biotechnology, manufacturing, agriculture, e-health, big-data analytics and informatics to world-class research centres. Each of these operations enjoys access to 99 per cent renewable energy at some of the lowest published electricity rates in North America, providing a unique cost advantage.

We have a developed life science community supported by 38 research and development centres, including the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health -- Canada's only level four bio-containment lab. The community is strengthened by one of the best research and development tax environments in the country. Manitoba is also located at the geographic centre of North America and has the continent's largest trimodal port, providing easy access to markets across North America and beyond.

 

Manitoba life sciences and biotechnology at a glance

• Manitoba has a highly skilled workforce, seeing 1,100+ graduates from 62 post-secondary programs in life sciences.
• Manitoba offers Canada's best provincial top-up credit, the Scientific Research & Experimental Development Credit.
• Over the past 5 years, the sector has seen total capital raised increase by 40%, research and development investments increase by 46%, and exports increase by an impressive 170%.