Canada will be the home of a new Moderna plant to create mRNA vaccines.
The company signed an agreement that was unveiled Tuesday morning.
François-Philippe Champagne, the federal minister of innovation, science and industry, said this will both create jobs and make sure we can respond to future emergencies.
“With an mRNA manufacturing facility in our own backyard, we will be much better equipped, much better equipped for the next global health crisis to protect the health and safety of Canadians,” he told media at an announcement in Montreal.
Champagne notes this will also help make Canada a centre of excellence and global research hub for mRNA work.
Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said it will prepare Canada to respond quickly to any future pandemic or epidemic.
“The government can tell us, ‘Instead of making 10-million doses for flu in the coming months, please make 10-million doses for this new virus so that we can get ready [and be] the first country in the world to protect Canadian citizens,’” he explained.
Federal Minister of Health Patty Hajdu echoes these thoughts, praising how prepared Canada will be in the future.
“We know infectious diseases arise, and we know that one of the biggest challenges in coming up with vaccine technology that can help fight back infectious disease, and it’s been a critical component of public health and reducing spread and saving lives since vaccines were first developed,” explains Hajdu. “Of course with the challenge of not having vaccine production in our country, we of course saw what happened earlier in the pandemic with countries that didn’t have that manufacturing capacity. Having to wait for shipments to arrive, Canada will never be in that situation again.”
Bancel said the plant will be able to produce vaccines by the end of 2024, and Moderna will be working with provinces in the coming weeks to select the location.
He added hiring will begin early so that workers can complete a lengthy training process and allow the facility to secure Health Canada’s approval.
