By: Jeffrey Graham, Chantal Saunders and Beverley Moore
Across cAnAdA
Biotechnology Public Policy agenda Biotechnology Focus has done an excellent job of providing A Wealth of Policy Ideas to Build On a forum for members of the biotechnology community Many of the issues that define the current to comment on “hot topics”. As one might expect, the policy agenda have been discussed for a number of years. By way of illustration, responses have been far reaching, covering such issues as the 2003 “Integrated Strategy for the Britaccess to capital, existing government programs, government ish Columbia’s Technology Cluster White Paper” included recommendations to improcurement policies, the technology transfer process at prove government programs like IRAP and research institutes and universities, our intellectual property SR&ED, stimulate early stage capital financregime and human resource issues. ing through flow-through share tax credits, There is a broad consensus that, as Canadians, we are very good at inventing things, but less capable at bringing products resulting from our inventions to market successfully. This shortcoming is not merely with respect to biotechnology but extends across the many sectors of the economy. With a new federal government in Ottawa and new governments to be installed at the provincial level in a number of jurisdictions over the next couple of years, starting with Ontario later this fall, there is, perhaps, a new opportunity to make changes that have a positive impact on the public policy framework relevant to the sector in Canada. To do so we need to carefully assess what has been said, who has said what, and what issues are currently under review. 26 BIOTECHNOLOGY FOCUS SEPTEMBER 2011
Some Guiding Principles Let us start with a few guiding principles. First, in all that we do, we must ensure that we are competing against the world outside of our borders, not our fellow citizens. Second, we need to encourage all levels of governments, municipal, provincial and federal, to work cooperatively on our behalf. Third, we must also insist that in shaping policy, government officials, both elected and un-elected, consult with those of us in the private sector. Finally, the sector must realize that, with few exceptions, major policy changes will likely be driven by a broader interest in encouraging innovation in the Canadian economy rather than for the benefit of the biotech sector alone.
establish an early-purchase program for new technology, and create a targeted inbound investment program for anchor companies. In 2006, the Biotechnology Council of Ontario (which has evolved into Life Sciences Ontario) issued a seminal report entitled “Public Policy For Life Sciences” recommending, among other things, a provincial cabinet committee to align economic and health policy, incentives for pharmaceutical companies to contribute to the pool of risk-based investment capital, formulary/ procurement policy changes to improve uptake of biopharmaceutical innovations, and tax incentives to attract capital including flow-through share tax credits. Also in 2006, the Expert Panel on Commercialization established by the federal government and chaired by Joe Rotman delivered its report
