Life Sciences
Innovation is in our DNA
With world-class expertise across a spectrum of innovation industries, Canadian life sciences hubs are a natural draw for conferences across a wide range of sub-sectors. When combined with Canada’s vast landscapes, diverse cities and culture, dynamic culinary and nightlife experiences, and unique opportunities to explore groundbreaking ideas, it’s easy to understand why organizations around the world choose Canadian locations to host their global life sciences events.
Canadian trailblazers in a host of emerging life sciences industries are shaping the future of work, health-care, culture and society. When conference-goers meet in our innovation hubs, they can tap into Canada’s brain trust, connect with some of our brightest minds and thought leaders, preview made-in-Canada solutions to the world’s greatest health concerns, and explore Canadian treatments, therapies and technologies powering the future of health-care during conferences, symposia, B2B exchanges, lab tours and more. And when top performers are recognized and rewarded with Canada’s unparalleled destinations and distinctive experiences, they’ll return home refreshed and inspired, ready to perform.
Connect with our Business Development Manager, Life Sciences
Learn more about Canada’s Life Sciences sector
Canadian Success Stories
The Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health in Winnipeg is a global leader in infectious diseases laboratory science and the first facility in the world to have both human and animal containment level 4 (CL4) labs under one roof.
Halifax is home to ABK Biomedical, a medical device company dedicated to improving treatment options for patients with hypervascular tumours.
In Toronto, clinical trials are underway to validate the use of Myant’s Skiin, a textile-based monitoring solution, as a medical device to usher in a new paradigm in remote patient monitoring in health-care.
The Brain and Mental Health Initiative at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary uses the clot-busting drug tPA to reduce stroke treatment time from 70 minutes to 36 minutes, among the fastest in the world for stroke treatments.
Montréal’s ExcellThera is a clinical stage cell and molecular medicine company, delivering molecules and bioengineering solutions to expand stem and immune cells for use in novel one-time therapies for patients with hematologic malignancies, as well as autoimmune and other diseases.
Among the full complement of cell biology research tools in STEMCELL Technologies’ Vancouver arsenal is CAR T-cell therapy, a rapidly emerging immunotherapy that seeks out and destroys cancerous cells to effectively target and treat types of leukemia.
AltaML, an Edmonton software company developing AI, and doctors associated with the Oliver Primary Care Network are working with pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim Canada Ltd. to develop a frailty index that clinicians can use to predict chronic illnesses
like diabetes, heart disease and mental health conditions.
Research and Innovation
Syantra Diagnostics in Calgary is developing a revolutionary, rapid and economical blood test to detect breast cancer that is accurate regardless of the test recipient's family history, age or tissue density.
In 2020, Dr. Michael Houghton, the Canada Excellence Research Chair in Virology, at the University of Alberta, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discovery of the hepatitis C virus.
InteraXon, in Toronto, developed brainwave-sensing technology for applications like the Muse meditation headband.
By automating the delivery of oxygen to patients, Oxynov, based in Québec City, is preparing to create a revolution in health-care with its device developed at the Institut universitaire de cardiologie et de pneumologie de Québec (IUCPQ).
Immunovaccine, a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company in Halifax, is working to transform the way we engage human immunity to address some of the most complex and devastating diseases in today’s medical landscape, including COVID-19.
BioTraceIT™, developed in Charlottetown, focuses on novel technologies at the cutting edge of wearable health-care to quantify pain.
HERE'S HOW WE CAN HELP YOU GET PLANNING
The team at Destination Canada Business Events helps global organizations meet with purpose in Canada. Contact our team for:
- Specific information regarding Canada's sector expertise
- Recommendations on destinations based on their sector strengths
- Introductions to industry leaders, academia, and economic development agencies
- Recommendations of expert speakers to augment events
- Assistance in sourcing RFPs for conference placement
Pamela Wilton
Business Development Manager, Life Sciences
Email | Phone: +1-204-223-1922
There is significant opportunity for event planners to leverage Calgary’s world-class research assets and clinical expertise in life sciences. The University of Calgary is a leader in brain and mental health, biomedical engineering, chronic diseases and cardiovascular research. This, along with the impressive advancements being made in digital health services by local companies such as Brightsquid, position Calgary as a leader in the life sciences field and an ideal destination for an event in this sector.
David Woodward, Executive Director, Meetings & Conventions Tourism Calgary
As one of Canada’s health cities, Edmonton is a medical research powerhouse. With our expertise in health and life sciences, our unique strength in AI and our robust innovation ecosystem, we consistently break barriers. Edmonton offers world-class medical facilities, post-secondary institutions and AI capabilities that are breathing new life into the industry worldwide.”
Anna Look, Director, Meetings, Incentive, Conventions and Exhibitions, Explore Edmonton
From being the only city in the western hemisphere to have both a synchrotron and cyclotron, to VIDO-InterVac being the first in Canada to isolate the COVID-19 virus and establish an animal model for testing, Saskatoon is small but extremely mighty when it comes to research, innovation and world firsts within the life sciences sector.
Director of Business Development, Tourism Saskatoon
The life sciences sector is tightly knit in the province of Quebec and especially in Montréal. The spirit of collaboration that reigns there is remarkable. We are familiar with the process of having very different companies (industrial, academic research, government, etc.) work together to attain common goals. It is this mindset that made the organization of the event ‘EFFERVESCENCE: The Future of Life Sciences’ possible and such a great collective success.
Frank Béraud, Chief Executive Officer, Montréal InVivo
