Charlottetown, PEI – Prince Edward Island’s Biomanufacturing Strategy took an important step forward today with the opening of a new $6.5 million Biomanufacturing Incubator (BMI).

The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister responsible for ACOA, and the Honourable Matthew Mackay, Minister of Economic Growth, Tourism and Culture joined PEI BioAlliance CEO, Rory Francis, and PEI BioCluster members to officially announce the opening. The new BMI is a 20,000 sq/ft facility comprised of six fully serviced, self-contained units to support pilot-scale manufacturing of bio-based products.

“The Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator is essential infrastructure supporting companies to accelerate from the R&D stage to commercial manufacturing,” said Oliver Technow, Chair of the Board of Directors, PEI BioAlliance, and CEO of BIOVECTRA. “To have this ability here is crucial for PEI and Atlantic Canada to continue developing its centre of expertise in biomanufacturing.”

The BMI was made possible by a $1.5 million contribution by ACOA and a $500,000 contribution by the Province of PEI. The remainder of the financing was the responsibility of the BioAlliance through Finance PEI and the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation who served as project manager.

“The success story of Prince Edward Island’s bioscience cluster is recognized across Canada and internationally. Strategic investments like those announced today will ensure a continued path of growth for the industry by attracting industry-leading companies and building a highly skilled workforce”, said the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.

“The bioscience industry is one of the most important sectors of the PEI economy, in terms of export sales, employment and investment,” said Premier King. “I’m thrilled to see this partnership of industry and governments invest in infrastructure that will continue this growth.”

The new facility begins to address the gap in pilot-scale manufacturing infrastructure that exists in eastern Canada and creates greater opportunity for early stage Canadian biomanufacturers to advance to commercial viability.

The facility was over-subscribed before completion, highlighting the need for further infrastructure investments. Tenants of the building will include Chinova Bioworks, the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences (CASTL), the National Research Council (NRC), and BIOVECTRA.

At the event, federal and provincial representatives also announced $3.1 million in funding for training equipment to establish the Canadian Alliance for Skills and Training in Life Sciences’ (CASTL) new biopharmaceutical manufacturing skills and training centre at the BMI.

Over the past several years, BioAlliance public and private sector partners have made a series of strategic investments to take a leadership position in providing biomanufacturing infrastructure, skilled human resources, and services for Canadian and international businesses.

In November of 2021, BIOVECTRA with the federal and provincial governments announced a $79.6 million investment to build one of Canada’s first mRNA vaccine production and biomanufacturing facility, creating 125 new jobs in both Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia.

For more information on the PEI BioAlliance and the local bioscience cluster, visit peibioalliance.com.

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About the PEI BioAlliance
The Prince Edward Island BioAlliance is the private sector-led not-for-profit organization that is responsible for developing and coordinating the strategy for the growth of the Prince Edward Island Bioscience Cluster. Since 2005, the BioAlliance has facilitated the work of businesses, academic and research institutions, and federal and provincial government agencies in establishing the bioscience sector as a key pillar in the economic foundation of the province and Atlantic Canada.

About the Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator
The new Bioscience Manufacturing Incubator (BMI) is a 20,000 sq/ft facility comprised of six fully serviced, self-contained units to support pilot-scale manufacturing of bio-based products. The facility has been specially designed and built to meet the strict regulatory standards required for the production of health and nutrition products. It is located in the BioCommons Industrial Park and is owned by the Charlottetown Area Development Corporation (CADC) and operated by the PEI BioAlliance.

Media Contact
Chelsey Rogerson
Director of Communications and Marketing
PEI BioAlliance
C: 902.213.7351
E: chelsey@peibioalliance.com