If you're looking to grow your company, here's what you should know about Ontario.

1. Top ranked R&D tax incentives. Our R&D tax incentives are among the most generous in the world.  When tax credits are factored in, a $100 R&D expenditure can be reduced to an after-tax cost of about $56, or $38 if you're a small business.  As well, tax credits can be carried back three years or forward 20 years.
   
   
2. Lower business costs. Canada offers a lower-business cost environment for life sciences companies than the U.S., Germany, Italy, or Japan, according to KPMG's Competitive Alternatives 2010.

   Ontario is North America's most competitive jurisdiction for corporate taxes. The marginal effective tax rate (METR) on new capital investment (provincial and federal combined) fell to 18.6 per cent in 2010 from 32.8 per cent in 2009 and will drop to 16.2 per cent by 2018.

   Thomas Wellner, President and CEO, Therapure Biopharma highlights Ontario’s strategic location as a key element for success [ video ]
   
   
3. A research powerhouse. Ontario is where researchers:
   
   
   • discovered stem cells
   • developed the first successful childhood meningitis vaccine
   • developed the world's first prosthetic elbow joint, biological artificial cornea and antibody-coated stent.

   With 25 research and teaching hospitals employing 10,000 scientists, clinical investigators and other researchers, Ontario is one of the largest biomedical research centres in North America.

   Ontario's universities and teaching hospitals spend almost $2 billion annually on health research, which is roughly 30 per cent of all the health research done across Canada by governments, industry, academics and the non-profit sectors.

   Mark Lievonen, President and CEO, Sanofi Pasteur Canada talks about how the life sciences cluster in Ontario has been key for his company’s success [ video ]
   
   
4. Exceptional global connections and partnerships. Ontario is home to a growing number of internationally recognized centres of excellence in research, innovation and collaboration. Examples include:
   
   
   • the International Cancer Genome Consortium at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research
   • the new Ontario Brain Institute
   • clinical trials by the Population Health Research Institute at McMaster University.
5. Critical mass of companies and talent. Ontario has a broad and innovative life sciences sector. Some 900 companies employ 41,500+ people in the pharmaceutical, biotech, advanced medical technologies and contract services sectors.

   Our 44 universities and colleges produce more than 35,000 graduates a year in mathematics, engineering and sciences. We have six medical schools including the University of Toronto, one of the largest in North America.

   Professor Chris Hall, Canada Research Chair for Recombinant Antibody Technology at the University of Guelph, talks about Ontario’s support for encouraging new, innovative start up companies [ video ]