Latest news with #Ladouceur
Winnipeg Free Press
31-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Building pharmaceutical sector strength
Manitoba's bioscience industry is inking collaboration commitments with other provinces as U.S. researchers increasingly look to move operations to Canada. Bioscience Association Manitoba signed a memorandum of understanding with BIOQuebec, its Quebec counterpart, in June. BAM is aiming for two more such agreements before Christmas. BROOK JONES / FREE PRESS Andrea Ladouceur, president of Bioscience Association Manitoba, at the group's Smart Park office on the University of Manitoba's Fort Garry campus. 'They are bigger provinces, they have more resources dedicated to the sector, they are more globally known,' said Andrea Ladouceur, BAM president. 'For Manitoba to be amongst those in a co-ordinated way, under an MOU, to help us collaborate — that's the fastest, most effective approach to bringing more opportunities to Manitoba.' Already, the pharmaceutical sector accounts for nearly seven per cent of Manitoba's GDP. Pfizer, Bausch Health and Dynacare have bases in the province. Ladouceur came into her role in January 2024; she's been seeking ways to grow interprovincial collaboration since. The election of U.S. President Donald Trump and resulting trade war tensions have helped bolster collaborative sentiment, she said. She's clocked a 'marked increase' in American companies enquiring about Manitoba. However, most queries are likely directed to larger provinces as U.S. research funds get slashed, she surmised. BIOQuebec confirmed it's fielded at least a dozen calls from Americans asking about relocating to the province since late spring. Life Sciences Ontario has discussed with a California-based business. The MOU with BIOQuebec — and, potentially soon, others — is meant to 'fill in the gaps in our ecosystem,' Ladouceur said. For example, if a Manitoba company needs a manufacturer for medicine it's creating, BAM might direct them to a BIOQuebec member. Quebec has also become 'the epicentre' of service providers able to find international manufacturers and ingredient makers that Canadian pharmaceutical companies need, Ladouceur said. She's hoping if U.S. companies land in Quebec, they'll be directed to Manitoba firms. BAM counts more than 200 members, including around 10 shared with BIOQuebec's pool of at least 300. Exposure to Manitoba might encourage Quebec companies to expand to the keystone province, Ladouceur said. 'This really is a limitless sector,' she added. 'There's more than enough for everybody.' BIOQuebec's interest in Manitoba stems from the province's 'dynamism,' said Benoît Larose, the organization's chief executive. 'In our experience, the smaller ecosystems are more willing to do business abroad,' he said. 'We don't have to convince them to do things with us — they want to do things with us.' BIOQuebec signed a memorandum of understanding with Life Sciences Ontario in March. Threats from the United States led to the MOUs, Larose said, noting BIOQuebec already had relationships with both associations. '(It) was a signal that we wanted to send to our own members,' he said. 'We should all be looking at the resources within Canada before considering doing business elsewhere. 'The 'elbows-up' attitude, that's what we decided to do.' Both Larose and Ladouceur noted U.S. tariffs and funding cuts have locked their members in uncertainty. Manitoba businesses import active pharmaceutical ingredients from the U.S. and export finished products south of the border. (Manitoba exported $211 million worth of packaged medicine in 2025's first quarter, a 70.5 per cent drop from the prior year. The Manitoba Bureau of Statistics pointed to a decline in U.S. imports.) Collaboration between provincial bioscience associations started growing pre-COVID-19 pandemic, said Jason Field, president of Life Sciences Ontario. The groups sit on the National Biotech Accord. Closeness emerged around 2017, when Ottawa sought to reform the patented medicine prices review board and drew industry pushback. It grew during the COVID-19 pandemic — while eyes were on pharmaceutical makers — and has continued during the Trump administration's latest reign, Field said. 'It's a real opportunity for Canada to differentiate itself on a global stage and be really competitive,' Field said. 'But … we have to make this an attractive business environment.' There's a gap in funding for bioscience companies who've reached the $2 million to $10 million range, and regulatory bodies tasked with approving Canadian health products have lacked speed, he asserted. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Inventions often start in Canada and end up commercialized by other countries, said Mary Argent-Katwala, senior director of stakeholder engagement for the Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization. 'If a company left Vancouver, it's not that they're necessarily going to another province. They're probably going to Boston or San Diego,' Argent-Katwala said. OBIO is considering signing MOUs with peers in other provinces, Argent-Katwala added. Bioscience Association Manitoba aims to ink collaboration agreements across Canada. Such deals, including with BIOQuebec, could lead to more joint events and trade missions. Gabrielle PichéReporter Gabrielle Piché reports on business for the Free Press. She interned at the Free Press and worked for its sister outlet, Canstar Community News, before entering the business beat in 2021. Read more about Gabrielle. Every piece of reporting Gabrielle produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. 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Business Wire
03-07-2025
- Health
- Business Wire
Bioscience Association Manitoba Applauds Government Action to Advance Bioscience Research and Clinical Trials in Manitoba
WINNIPEG, Manitoba--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) welcomes the Manitoba government's latest announcement to launch a Clinical Trials Office, and the implementation of the Research Manitoba led project, Research Improvements Through Harmonization in Manitoba (RITHIM), both designed to accelerate and improve health research in the province. 'For too long, the process of moving innovative research into real-world care has taken longer in Manitoba than in other jurisdictions,' said Andrea Ladouceur, President & CEO of BAM. 'Both the new Manitoba Clinical Trials Office and RITHIM are key pieces of the puzzle that will help connect research to our ecosystem and shorten timelines and enables research to get where it's needed, into the lives of Manitobans.' Manitoba has led with action on the top 2 recommendations from the Manitoba Clinical Trials Working Group. The first is to create a Clinical Trials office to champion connections between researcher and resources and the second is to create a timebound standardized processes. BAM was honoured to co-chair this Working Group over the past 10 months developing recommendations to improve how research is conducted in the province. The new Manitoba Clinical Trials Office, announced by Honourable Jamie Moses, Minister of Business, Mining, Trade, and Job Creation, will help champion Manitoba as a destination for world-class clinical research. RITHIM will also help shorten process timelines. Learn more at 'Clinical trials are essential to getting new, innovative medicines into our healthcare system,' noted Ladouceur. 'Canada uses only about 20 per cent of the innovative medicines available in other G7 countries. Manitoba can and should lead the way in changing that.' The bioscience sector contributes approximately 7 per cent of Manitoba's GDP, with medicine ranked as the province's top export. Manitoba is home to a growing hub of companies like Bausch Health, Pfizer, Cytophage Technologies, Emergent, Kane Biotech, and Dynacare, which are developing solutions that help patients return to healthier lives. 'Our members are leaders in how we heal, feed, and fuel the world,' said Ladouceur. 'But innovation only matters if it reaches people. Many patients can't wait for life-saving treatments. That's why we need to continuously improve how we move research from the lab into people's lives,' noted Andrea. With this announcement, BAM sees Manitoba taking a strong step forward toward a more coordinated, responsive, and globally competitive research environment. 'We're proud to support this important milestone,' added Ladouceur. 'Manitoba is the right place for research to thrive with strong values around inclusivity, a commitment to quality, and a collaborative mindset. We look forward to what comes next.' For more information about this announcement, visit Bioscience Association Manitoba (BAM) is a not-for-profit industry association that enables commercial success for bioscience companies in Manitoba by acting as a catalyst for innovation, leading with one unified voice for all bioscience advancement and growth, and supporting a future-focused workforce. Learn more about Bioscience Association Manitoba:
Global News
04-05-2025
- Global News
Calgary man who fatally stabbed fitness instructor found guilty
A Calgary man has been found guilty of first-degree murder in the 2022 stabbing death of 30-year-old fitness instructor Vanessa Ladouceur. Ladouceur was walking to work in downtown Calgary around 8 a.m. on March 18, 2022, when she was attacked and fatally stabbed. On Saturday, following a five-week trial, a jury delivered its verdict, finding 29-year-old Michael Adenyi guilty of first-degree murder. Court of King's Bench Justice Jane Sidnell thanked the jury for their dedication during the lengthy trial. 0:37 Calgary police identify woman killed in 'random' downtown stabbing The court heard that Adenyi followed Ladouceur for nearly two blocks before bodychecking her into an alcove and stabbing her repeatedly. The attack included six wounds to her face, and she ultimately died from blood loss. Story continues below advertisement Adenyi, who pleaded not guilty, testified in his own defence, claiming he believed he was attacking a 'creature' at the time. He said he felt he had to strike first or risk being attacked. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy His mother also testified, telling the court her son had been experiencing hallucinations before the incident. His defence argued he was not criminally responsible due to a mental disorder. However, the Crown maintained the attack was premeditated, pointing to Adenyi's deliberate actions in following and ambushing Ladouceur. The jury ultimately sided with the prosecution. A conviction for first-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years. While a formal sentencing date has not yet been set, it is expected to be confirmed next week.
CBC
03-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
'Slight sigh of relief' from Manitoba industries as Canada exempt from most new tariffs, but fears remain
Social Sharing Industry leaders in Manitoba are relieved Canada is spared from the new "retaliatory" tariffs the United States levelled Wednesday on dozens of countries, but it doesn't mean the country's economy will be left unscathed. U.S. President Donald Trump released his long-feared plan for tariffs against a list of countries Wednesday, but the minimum tariff of 10 per cent on all imports won't apply to Canada and Mexico. Previously announced border-related tariffs will continue to apply instead. But given the interconnectedness of global supply chains, the repercussions of the new tariffs will be felt in Canada, albeit indirectly, said Andrea Ladouceur, president of the Bioscience Association of Manitoba. Some Canadian businesses have manufacturing facilities in the countries now being targeted by Trump's across-the-board tariffs, she said. "They will be impacted financially," she said, "and those companies employ Canadians." Ladouceur is also worried from a humanitarian perspective. Tariff rates in the double-digits have been applied to some countries with underdeveloped economies, which will struggle to handle an economic broadside of that magnitude, she said. "We know they have a lot of manufacturing related to garments and other things, and for them to get another heavy impact financially … is really hard to watch," said Ladouceur. While the new 10 per cent baseline tariff doesn't apply to Canada, Trump still followed Wednesday on a promised 25 per cent tariff on "all foreign-made" automobiles, as of midnight ET Thursday. The existing tariffs on steel and aluminum will remain in place. 'Still a little shocked': lumber industry rep The fact other imported goods to the U.S. aren't subject to new levies brought a "slight sigh of relief" from the representatives of the Manitoba government's U.S. Trade Council, which held a virtual meeting after Trump's announcement, said Ladouceur, who sits on the council. Liz Kovach, president of Supply-Build Canada — which represents lumber retailers — said she wasn't expecting her industry to be exempt. "I'm still a little shocked by this news," she said Wednesday afternoon. "I was not expecting this, but I am happy to hear that … they realized that the tariffs are really a bad idea, and they are an additional tax that the U.S. customer would have to pay." Cam Dahl, general manager with Manitoba Pork, also expressed relief, though he was quick to acknowledge a U.S. president known for changing his mind could do so again. In the meantime, "we need to continue to look for opportunities to diversify our markets," Dahl said. "We need to continue to break down interprovincial barriers, and we need to continue to reach out to our partners in the U.S. to work together to get that message across that we're better off as partners as opposed to opponents." A representative with the manufacturing industry echoed that. "The reality is this could change tomorrow," added Terry Shaw, Prairies vice-president for the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters Association. Canada needs "to safeguard against these tariff threats, and to mitigate some of the possible damage that could come," he said. Manitoba Chambers of Commerce president Chuck Davidson said the continued uncertainty is impeding decision-making and drying up orders for some businesses.
