Ontario has emerged as one of North America’s fastest-growing life sciences ecosystems, attracting significant international investment and expanding its capabilities across biotechnology, biomanufacturing, medical devices and digital health.
Since 2018, the province has secured more than $6 billion in life sciences investments, supported by a strategy focused on infrastructure, talent development and collaboration across government, academia and industry.
In this exclusive Q&A with Life Sciences Global News, The Honourable Vic Fedeli, Ontario’s Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, outlines how the province is strengthening its global competitiveness and positioning itself as a long-term partner for life sciences innovators.
Minister Fedeli has served in his current role for more than six years, leading Ontario’s investment attraction and trade strategy while advancing reforms aimed at reducing business costs and increasing foreign direct investment
Ontario has attracted over $6 billion in life sciences investments since 2018. What key factors have made the province such a strong destination for international companies?
Global life sciences companies are choosing Ontario because we offer what they need to succeed: stability, talent, world-class research institutions, and a deeply connected innovation ecosystem. As aging populations, global health challenges, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence reshape the sector, Ontario has emerged as a powerful, dependable partner with proven track record of helping companies research, develop, and commercialize the next-generation of medical breakthroughs.
Today, Ontario’s life science sector employs more than 74,000 people across nearly 2,000 firms, with established strengths across oncology, nuclear medicine, regenerative medicine, diagnostic imaging, and neuroscience. This success reflects a proud legacy of advancing groundbreaking science that transforms health care worldwide – from the discovery of insulin to the latest advancements in cell and gene therapies.
Our life science sector is anchored by one of the densest research hospital clusters in the world, with global biotech and pharmaceutical leaders spearheading more than 4,600 active clinical trials – the highest number in Canada. We have also seen an increasing number of medical technology companies, digital health platforms, and CDMOs leverage Ontario’s extensive expertise in AI and advanced manufacturing to develop new solutions and expand production capacity.
Life sciences companies who chose to expand in Ontario are well-positioned to benefit from our deep pool of talent, bolstered by the more than 86,000 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) students who graduate from our top post-secondary institutions every year. Investors also value Ontario’s diverse and resilient economy, strategically located at the commercial heart of North America, with competitive tax rates, lower operating costs, and priority access to more than 50 global markets.
These advantages give global companies the confidence to make long-term growth decisions and the ability to bring innovations to market with speed and certainty. That is why since 2018, Ontario has attracted over $6 billion in investments from global life sciences companies and biomanufacturers.
How is Ontario supporting innovation in biotechnology, medical devices and digital health to help companies bring products to market faster?
Ontario’s Life Sciences Strategy is establishing the province as a global hub for biomanufacturing and life sciences innovation. Over the past three years, our government has invested hundreds of millions to accelerate the commercialization and early adoption of new medical technologies.
A cornerstone of this strategy is the $30 million Life Sciences Innovation Fund (LSIF), first introduced in 2022 to support the development and launch of made-in-Ontario health innovations. Through an initial investment of $15 million, the LSIF has supported the growth and development of 30 companies, with a further $15 million committed in the 2025 Ontario Budget: A Plan to Protect Ontario.
Our government has proudly built on that momentum through the launch of Phase Two of the Strategy, just over a year ago. Phase Two included an additional $40 million investment through the Venture Ontario Fund to help Ontario life sciences firms innovate, grow, and compete globally.
But to truly lead, Ontario must ensure life science companies have the infrastructure, resources, and support they need to succeed. That’s why through initiatives like the $15 million Ontario Wet Labs Program (OWLP) and the new, $24 million Life Sciences Scale Up Fund (LSSUF), we are accelerating the development and deployment of state-of-the-art laboratory and biomanufacturing space.
These labs provide researchers and entrepreneurs with the facilities they need to transition discoveries from the research bench to the patient bedside. They are also a clear vote of confidence in Ontario’s innovators, helping to retain talent and ensure that intellectual property developed in Ontario stays in Ontario.
Through Invest Ontario, the province’s investment attraction agency, we are securing new strategic projects that further grow this ecosystem. This includes AstraZeneca’s $820 million expansion of its Mississauga hub, which leverages AI, computational pathology, and digital technologies to enhance R&D capabilities in oncology and infectious disease prevention. It is one example of how companies are using Ontario’s ecosystem to bring new treatments to patients faster.
Collaboration is vital in life sciences. How is the province strengthening ties between government, academia and industry to foster new research and development?
Our government has always believed that collaboration is the engine behind Ontario’s life sciences success.
Ontario’s ecosystem brings together hospitals, universities, research centres, incubators, start-ups, and global companies in a highly connected network that supports groundbreaking discoveries, clinical trials, and scalable manufacturing. These partnerships are already delivering results, supporting thousands of industry-sponsored clinical trials, while Ontario universities have attracted over $3.8 billion in sponsored research income.
Through Ontario’s Life Sciences Strategy, we are strengthening these connections and removing barriers to enable innovators to move faster. Government agencies like Invest Ontario play a convening role, connecting companies with academic institutions and innovation partners to ensure seamless integration into the ecosystem. This connectivity shortens development timelines and gives investors direct access to the resources and guidance they need to succeed in Ontario’s dynamic business landscape.
We are also making targeted investments to expand research capacity and accelerate commercialization. This includes up to $46 million through the Ontario Biosciences Research Infrastructure (OBIO) Fund to strengthen post-secondary and hospital-based research and $12 million through the Health Technology Accelerator Fund to support partnerships between Ontario innovators and health-care providers.
Together, these efforts are shortening development timelines, improving patient outcomes, and reinforcing Ontario’s position as a global leader in life sciences innovation.
What role does talent and workforce development play in sustaining Ontario’s growth as a life sciences hub?
Talent is Ontario’s competitive advantage.
Our province is home to one of the world’s most highly skilled workforces, supported by more than 86,000 STEM graduates each year from world-class universities and colleges. That is why our government is capitalizing on this advantage by investing $750 million over five years to fund 20,500 additional STEM seats annually and making significant investments in the skilled trades and training programs. This deep and diverse talent pool supplies life sciences companies with the top-tier scientists, engineers, advanced manufacturing specialists, and AI and data experts they need to invest and grow with confidence.
To sustain this momentum, the province works closely with industry and academic partners to align talent development and training pathways with sector demand, ensuring companies can recruit and retain the skilled workforce they need to compete in a rapidly evolving global market.
Looking ahead, what are your priorities for ensuring Ontario remains a leading global centre for life sciences investment and innovation?
Our priority, anchored in Ontario’s Life Science Strategy, is clear: to continue building the end-to-end ecosystem companies need to innovate, commercialize, and scale in Ontario.
That means expanding biomanufacturing capacity, strengthening research infrastructure, and making it easier for Ontario-made technologies to move into the health-care system.
At the same time, we are growing our talent pipeline and backing homegrown companies with the capital, programs, and partnerships they need to compete globally. By attracting high-value investments, accelerating R&D, and increasing adoption of new technologies, Ontario is positioned to lead the next decade of life sciences innovation and remain a top destination for companies shaping the future of health care.
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Ontario’s approach reflects a coordinated effort to align capital investment, research infrastructure and workforce development with the evolving needs of global life sciences companies.
As competition for biomanufacturing, clinical research and digital health leadership intensifies worldwide, the province is emphasising long-term ecosystem building rather than isolated incentives. The strategy centres on strengthening research capacity, expanding laboratory and production infrastructure, and ensuring sustained access to highly skilled STEM talent.
For international companies evaluating North American expansion, Ontario is positioning itself as a jurisdiction offering scale, regulatory stability and integration across the innovation pipeline — from discovery through commercialisation.
Further information on Ontario’s economic development and investment strategy is available through the Government of Ontario.
