Ontario East firm produces world's first vaccine to combat deadly E. coli
An Ontario East biopharmaceutical company has become the first in the world to develop and sell an E. coli vaccine.
A new state-of-the-art animal health and food safety vaccine manufacturing centre will enable Belleville's Bioniche Life Sciences to produce enough of its patented Econiche to vaccinate all of Canada's cattle by the end of the year.
"The plant can probably handle 100 million doses," says Graeme McRae, Bioniche CEO, president and chairman. That's actually enough to vaccinate most of North America's cattle.
The next big hurdle will be to get regulatory approval in The United States. Econiche is now being validated in the U.S. and Bioniche hopes to begin selling in the American market by the middle of next year.
But there's more to the story than the production of the world's first E. coli vaccine and its potential impact on the 100,000 E. coli infections reported yearly in North America.
The expansion, funded with $25 million in provincial and federal loans, was built at such a high level of sophistication that it meets the most stringent of international standards. As a result, the facility will be able to sell its E. coli vaccine globally. The only plant of its kind in North America and the largest livestock vaccine manufacturing facility in Canada, it could go a long way toward making Canada less vulnerable to animal generated diseases. That's why the governments provided the money, McRae says.
Currently, almost all of Canada's animal vaccines must be imported because the country does not have a vaccine manufacturing base.
"In the event of the border shutting down for any reason, we won't be able to bring in even simple cat and dog vaccines," McRae says.
Globalization is the company's short-term plan. The long-term plan is to begin producing vaccines for other species, including humans.
Bioniche employs 225 people globally, about 137 of them in Belleville. It also has a plant in Montreal where it makes a human bladder cancer product, two facilities in the U.S., and one in Australia. The expansion has resulted in about 40 new hires and many more are expected.
McRae, who moved his company's head office from London, Ont. in 2000 because he believed it would be a better place to grow, says Belleville has been a good home to Bioniche. He says it's been easy to recruit people who are looking for a good community to raise a family.
"Moving to Belleville was the best thing we ever did," McRae says. Community leaders agree.
"The investment in this new animal health and food safety vaccine manufacturing centre demonstrates the company's commitment to the community," says Chris King, Chief Executive Officer of Quinte Economic Development Commission.
Kellogg hires more than 40 people in Belleville for new cereal production line
Cereal maker Kellogg plans to create at least 40 new jobs when it opens a new production line at its Belleville plant by the end of the year.
The new line, which will feature advanced food-processing techniques, will make the Belleville plant the most sophisticated in Kellogg's worldwide operations.
Kellogg spent $43 million on the new line, which includes $4.5 million from the province.
The investment comes just over three years after the international cereal maker opened its $100-million plant, which produces Mini-Wheats cereal. It was the first new Kellogg factory to open in more than 20 years and the second Kellogg factory in Canada.
Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty says in a recent news release that the investment is a vote of confidence in the skills and knowledge of Ontario workers.
"It's another positive sign that our investments in people are paying off and that our economy is turning the corner," McGuinty says.
Former Kellogg North America president Jeff Montie said in 2004 that Kellogg chose Belleville because of its proximity to major transportation routes; lower costs of doing business; and support from the local community, region, and province.
The area's strong manufacturing network also played a role, the company said.
The Bay of Quinte Region, where Belleville resides, is one of Ontario's largest food-processing centres and is home to more than 35 food-processing companies that employ more than 2,500 people.
Chris King, Chief Executive Officer of Quinte Economic Development Commission, says the area offers food-processing manufacturers plenty of advantages.
"The Bay of Quinte Region offers a competitive environment with supply chain linkages, infrastructure, transportation networks and support services to meet the needs of the food processing sector," King says.
"You get the advantages of our proximity to major markets -Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, the Northeastern United States-but you don't get all the heavy costs associated with being in a major metropolitan area," he says.
He says it also helps that in Ontario East traffic congestion is a rarity and workforces are loyal.
First Peterborough EPIC Ventures Program winner announced
A new Peterborough entrepreneurship award program has its first winner.
The EPIC Ventures prize pack, developed by the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corp. Business Advisory Centre, went to Shish Kabob Hut.
The award recognizes small businesses that have contributed to local economic growth, quality of life, and creative business opportunities.
Shish Kabob Hut was chosen from a list of nominees for its ongoing dedication to the Peterborough community. This included tireless volunteer work on local boards and committees and environmental initiatives as well as sponsorships to ensure that Peterborough stays active, vibrant, cultural and sustainable.
Shish Kabob Hut owner-operator Don Vassiliadis said it was "humbling" to be recognized.
"We work so hard every day to serve our customers and the community to the best of our ability," Vassiliadis said. "It's nice to know that people are noticing our efforts."
The Shish Kabob Hut will receive a promotional prize pack that includes a "My Peterborough" radio feature on the KRUZ FM, a profile on PTBOCanada.com, on-line recognition on the Peterborough This Week andPeterborough Examiner websites, downtown display space provided by DNS Real Estate Limited Brokerage, a profile in The Business Beat, a one-hour marketing insight session with Lazer Graphics, a one hour social media consultation with Sofie Andreou, and lunch with MPP Jeff Leal.
Creative rural economy conference draws crowds from across Ontario
More than 140 economic developers, entrepreneurs and community leaders participated this month in a unique economic development conference straddling two Eastern Ontario communities that organizers hope will spark growth in creative rural entrepreneurship.
The June 14 and 15 double-locale Creative Rural Economy: From Theory to Practice conference took place at Queen's University the first day and then toured three creative enterprises in Prince Edward County the second day.
"We wanted to talk about the creative economy from an academic perspective and from a practical perspective and we wanted people to experience it," says Yolande Chan, director of the Monieson Centre. The centre co-hosted the event with the Ontario East Economic Development Commission.
On day two, buses brought conference goers to the picturesque rural community of Prince Edward County, which has become a hotbed of creative enterprises. There, attendees broke into groups that toured Hillier Estates winery, WhistleStop Productions broadcast television production company, and Books and Company book store.
More lectures and discussions took place afterward on subjects such as using heritage assets to develop creative economies and cultural mapping.
Chan said Eastern Ontario was an apt location for the conference as it is a hub for rural creative economy research and practice. Much study is of the subject is conducted out of Queen's and Prince Edward County is touted as "Canada's First Creative Rural Economy."
More information on creative economy development can be found at the Monieson Centre website at queensu.ca