Lets hope RVX gets a few bucks to developed its Covid trial as per this new federal budget initiative

1.5 Investing in Research and Science

A resilient and long-lasting recovery must include a plan for future pandemic preparedness. Strategic investments in cutting edge life sciences research and biotechnology is a critical part of that. These growing fields are not only critical to our safety, but are fast-growing sectors that support well-paying jobs and attract investment.

From the start of the pandemic, the government has funded and coordinated our biomedical and scientific response. From the National Microbiology Laboratory in Winnipeg, which leads dozens of COVID-19 response projects in its Level 4 labs; to investing in AbCellera in Vancouver, which helped create a leading antibody therapeutic; to Quebec City’s Medicago working to develop a leading vaccine candidate; to building the Biologics Manufacturing Centre at the National Research Council to manufacture vaccines, Canada has been building on its strengths to respond to this pandemic.

Raising the bar on our domestic life sciences and bio-manufacturing capacity will provide Canada with a more secure pipeline for vaccines in the future.

Strengthening Canada’s Bio-manufacturing and Life Sciences Sector 

Growing Canada’s life sciences and bio-manufacturing sector is a priority that goes beyond responding to COVID-19. This is a growing sector that supports thousands of good, middle class jobs. 

• Budget 2021 proposes to provide a total $2.2 billion over seven years towards growing a vibrant domestic life sciences sector. This support would provide foundational investments to help build Canada’s talent pipeline and research systems, and support the growth of Canadian life sciences firms, including:
  • $500 million over four years, starting in 2021-22, for the Canada Foundation for Innovation to support the bio-science capital and infrastructure needs of post-secondary institutions and research hospitals.
  • $250 million over four years, starting in 2021-22, for the federal research granting councils to create a new tri-council biomedical research fund.
  • $92 million over four years, starting in 2021-22, for adMare to support company creation, scale up, and training activities in the life sciences sector.
  • $59.2 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, for the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization to support the development of its vaccine candidates and expand its facility in Saskatoon.
  • $45 million over three years, starting in 2022-23, to the Stem Cell Network to support stem cell and regenerative medicine research.

Several other initiatives proposed in Budget 2021 also include targeted support for the life sciences and bio-manufacturing sector. These measures form an important part of the government’s investment in the sector and include: 

• $1 billion on a cash basis over seven years, starting in 2021-22, of support through the Strategic Innovation Fund would be targeted toward promising domestic life sciences and bio-manufacturing firms. This is a key component of the total investment in the Strategic Innovation Fund proposed in Chapter 4.
• $250 million over three years, starting in 2021-22, to increase clinical research capacity through a new Canadian Institutes of Health Research Clinical Trials Fund, as proposed in Chapter 4.
• $50 million on a cash basis over five years, starting in 2021-22, to create a life sciences stream in the Venture Capital Catalyst Initiative, as part of a larger venture capital investment proposed in Chapter 4.

These investments would be reinforced by other measures proposed in Budget 2021, including: the Pan-Canadian Genomics Strategy; the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy; the expansion of the Industrial Research Assistance Program; support to help firms tap intellectual property expertise; efforts to upskill and attract workers; as well as the expansion of work-integrated learning opportunities. These investments offer support to firms at various stages of maturity, and allow Canada’s research and development efforts to be more closely connected to commercialization and business development supports. More details can be found in Chapters 3 and 4.