BioEconomy:

With our welcoming academic institutions, practical public/private partnerships, diverse physical environment, vast biomass, and entrepreneurial spirit, Northern Ontario is growing an innovative bio-economy with leading technologies in a wide range of sectors.

Northern Ontario welcomes the world to explore investment opportunities all along the discovery to commercialisation continuum. Through state of the art physical and information technology infrastructure, low operating costs, specialized educated workforce, and competitive site location features, Northern Ontario is emerging as a rapidly expanding location for biotechnology activity with links to the global bio-economy.

Canada is a globally cost competitive location for business - lower than the U.S., U.K., France, Germany, or Japan - according to KPMG's comprehensive 2006 survey, Competitive Alternatives.

The costs can be even lower in major centres across Ontario's North. For example R&D costs in Sault Ste. Marie and Sudbury are 12% lower than the U.S. average.

Northern Ontario offers opportunities for angel investors, licencing agreements, manufacturing, and technology application in a range of economic sectors supported by a growing policy and institutional infrastructure.

Global trends are driving Northern Ontario's economy to maximise its competitive advantage through development and application of innovative and creative technologies related to:

• Energy
• Engineering
• Mining
• Forestry
• Environment
• Medical/health
• Nutraceuticals and Functional Food
• Product Manufacturing

Researchers across Ontario's North are collaborating with industry partners and colleagues around the world to unlock the commercial potential of biotech.

• Lakehead University's Paleo-DNA Laboratory is one of the top ancient DNA laboratories in the world. Researchers made headlines worldwide by successfully identifying the "Unknown Child" lost in the Titanic disaster using DNA.
• The Northeastern and Northwestern Ontario Regional Cancer Centres conduct ground-breaking stem cell, tumour biology, and prostate cancer research.
• The Great Lakes Forestry Centre, the Ontario Forest Research Institute, and the Lakehead University Faculty of Forestry excel in pest control, silviculture, and forest management research.

Ontario's North is growing the bio-economy through both push and pull technologies, and is eager to support research, and develop products and services.

Lifestyle combines breathtaking nature with the convenience of urban living....all the advantages of living local and going global.

Look at just a few of the companies that are already here...

Topia Energy Production Ltd, one of Canada's leading BioDiesel companies, is constructing the first commercial BioDiesel production facility in rural Canada. The 20 million litre-a-year facility on the outskirts in Sudbury will help to propel Canada forward as a leading commercial BioDiesel producer. Topia's commitment to build in Sudbury is proof of this regions environmental stewardship and suitability as a renewable fuel centre.

Genesis Genomics, a Canadian controlled private corporation with locations in Thunder Bay and Newcastle England, is dedicated to developing a "genetic physical" capable of providing a simple test for detecting the very genesis of many types of cancer at the DNA level. Disease detection before a patient or physician could be aware of it through recognition of typical clinical disease symptoms, could extend life, reduce treatment cost, and greatly improve quality of life for potential cancer patients.

Mikro-Tek of Timmins, works with global partners on environmental biotechnology solutions. As of April 2004, through C-Trade™ Carbon Pool, an affiliated organisation, Mikro-Tek held assets of 1,471,000 tCO2e. By offering industry an opportunity to invest in a pool of aggregated sequestration projects in reclamation/agriculture, domestic forestry, and Clean Development Mechanism forestry, large final emitters can offset their carbon emissions and meet their Kyoto commitments. Mikro-Tek has already established projects in Chile and Canada.