Key sectors

Life sciences: a booming sector!

In addition to serving as a hub for a large number of leading international research facilities, Quebec City is an incubator for a wide range of new cutting-edge techniques used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases. These efforts are revolutionizing the world of 21st century medicine. This is one sector that’s in tip-top shape!

Quebec metropolitan area health's industry mapping

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HEALTH SECTOR
120 companies (including 44 in the life sciences and biotech sub-sectors)
Over 5,000 jobs
Annual revenues: C$1.3 billion
Annual growth: 20%
6 research groups
3,000 research jobs

Key sub-sectors: biopharmaceuticals (diagnostic tools, contractual research and drug development), active ingredients (nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, natural health products), techno-health (telemedicine), medical equipment manufacturing, wellness products and services, specialized services.

Cutting-edge research in the areas of cardiology, genomics, infectious diseases, immunology, obesity, oncology, neurosciences, nutraceuticals and functional foods.

Leading multinational companies: Æterna Zentaris, Atrium Innovations, DiagnoCure, GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals, Anapharm, Becton Dickinson, Victhom Human Bionics, Medical Intelligence, Steris, Stryker, Cardinal Health.

Sector profile

More than $1 billion in investments

FOOD AND NUTRITION
310 companies
Over 10 000 jobs
GDP 800 million dollars
6 specialized research groups

The regional food industry has created a Health Food Consortium which promotes expertise in the production, transformation and marketing of health foods for companies of the area. The group focuses on business development with major decision makers, on technological innovations, on networking and building opportunities and also on assuring available and qualified workforce.

Visit the Health Food Consortium web site : www.healthfoodconsortium.ca

Meeting your needs is our top priority!

POLE Quebec Chaudiere-Appalaches supports the fast-growing health and nutrition sector in a variety of ways:

We provide assistance to high-growth companies.
We can help direct you toward various public or private financing sources.
We forge international partnerships.
We organize technology transfer showcases as well as training seminars and conferences.
We take part in international conferences and international missions promoting businesses and research centres in the QCA economic zone.

View the calendar of activities.

We are working closely with industry leaders to create a regional hub of excellence in the area of biopharmaceutical research and medical technology. We also aim to define a regional strategy through the ACCORD initiative, which will give rise to a number of groundbreaking projects.

NeuroCité announcement: a key initiative

NeuroCité, a world-class facility dedicated to neuron and brain disease research, will involve the participation of the private sector, universities and industry. Over the next 10 years (2007-2017), this Quebec City-based complex will play host to 20 specialized pharmaceutical and technology companies from around the world, operating in the areas of neurophotonics, neuropsychopharmacology, neurogenesis, neurorobotics, neuronal imaging, sleep electrophysiology, pain management, memory and brain aging. This $250 million investment is expected to generate 1,500 new jobs. View the press release.