Canada’s largest biomanufacturing facility opens in Ontario

Sanofi has opened a new $800-million vaccine manufacturing facility at the Toronto campus. The new building, spanning approximately 200,000 square feet, will produce pediatric and adult vaccines for pertussis (whooping cough), diphtheria and tetanus, significantly increasing the country’s production of vaccines for domestic and global markets.

“Our government is pleased to support Sanofi as they expand their footprint in Ontario,” said Premier Doug Ford. “This new state-of-the-art facility is another vote of confidence in our workers and our growing life sciences sector, helping to ensure people in Ontario and around the world have increased access to life-saving vaccines when they need them.”

Sanofi’s new facility builds on the company’s footprint in Ontario, which includes a full spectrum of R&D, manufacturing, clinical trials, regulatory, distribution and commercial operations. As part of Sanofi’s 2,000 employees in Canada, the facility will employ 200 people and is supported by federal, municipal and provincial governments including a $50 million investment from the province of Ontario.

“Ontario is a life sciences superpower, with a long history of cutting-edge innovation and discovery,” said Vic Fedeli, minister of economic development, job creation and trade. “Sanofi’s new facility represents a strategic link in our province’s biomanufacturing supply chain and is a welcomed addition to Ontario’s growing life sciences ecosystem — the largest in the country.”

Sanofi is also building a second new facility at its Toronto campus to increase production of the Fluzone High-Dose Influenza Vaccine, a flu vaccine specifically formulated for people 65 years and older.

As part of the government’s life sciences strategy, the province is investing $15 million through the Life Sciences Innovation Fund and $100 million through the Ontario Together Fund to help establish Ontario as a global biomanufacturing and life sciences hub. Over the past three years, Ontario has attracted over $3 billion in investments from life sciences companies and global biomanufacturers.