Biotechnology Advocacy and Dialogue
BIOTECanada and our members are dedicated to informing Canadian decision-makers of the bio-economy. Growing the industry requires integrated public policy within multiple levels of government. Working in partnership with regional organisations and partners, BIOTECanada leads an ongoing dialogue to create science-based policy and increase awareness of biotechnology.
Response to Jenkins Report
Anthony Giovinazzo, Chair of BIOTECanada's Emerging Companies Advisory Board and Peter Brenders, President and CEO of BIOTECanada have co-signed our response to the Expert Panel on Research and Development. Read it here.
Together with the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters along with others we have signed onto a letter for Minister Goodyear concerning the recommendations from the recent Expert Panel on Research and Development. Read it here.
Industry Financing - Pre-budget 2012 consultations
A submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance to create sustainable long-term economic growth in Canada. Download the submission here.
John Hyshka, CFO Phenomenome presented to the Standing Committee on FInance. Download his remarks here.
Building the bio-economy in Canada – Featured Issues
Healthcare
Provide a certain and competitive regulatory environment for new products addressing market demands.
Introduce the necessary regulatory amendments within the Food and Drugs Act to modernize Canada's regulatory system for health products; specifically including regulatory provisions for an Orphan Product Policy and Subsequent-Entry Biologic pathway within the framework. Click here for more.
Vaccines
Renew federal funding for immunization programs.
Create a permanent trust fund tied to the expansion of the National Immunization Strategy goals; to ensure new vaccine technologies can be incorporated into public vaccine programs. Click here for more.
Agriculture and Nutrition
Provide clear and integrated regulatory systems for new agricultural products.
Streamline the regulatory system with greater cooperation among and between the government departments and improve the current operating environment for companies pursuing regulatory approvals for novel foods. Click here for more.
Industrial bio-products
Establish regulatory, procurement and investment capacity.
Define a clear national policy vision for the bio product sector captured in the next agricultural federal framework Growing Forward II. Develop a clear regulatory pathway for non-food/feed industrial and oilseed crops. Click here for more.
Industry-wide - Financing
SR&ED
Keep the SR&ED program valuing clinical trial work being done in Canada and enable companies to grow their operations in Canada with foreign investment.
The Government of Canada should remove the current CCPC restriction against refundable SR&ED tax credits in order to encourage companies to seek foreign and public sources of capital. Click here for more.
Flow-through shares
Expand the existing FTS program to include junior biotechnology companies to attract some of the 1.5 billion in new capital required annually from the public and private capital markets.
The FTS program has a proven track record for creating new risk capital; over the last 25 years, the program has created more than $10 billion in new capital for the mining sector alone. This model of success can be replicated in Canada’s bio-economy. It is estimated expanding the FTS program to Canada’s biotechnology sector will generate nearly $1 billion in new wealth and economic gains, as a result of incremental R&D performed in Canada alone. Click here for more.
Bio-economy Roundtable Outcomes Report
Hill Times Policy Briefing
What is Biotechnology?
