Like the forests and oceans, the prairies
are a natural resource integral to Cana-
da’s commodities market. The 2016-2017
Saskatchewan budget states that the
province’s agriculture sector was respon-
sible for $15.1 billion in agri-food exports
in 2015. The province exceeded its ambi-
tious target, laid out in the Saskatchewan
Plan for Growth (launched in 2012), to ex-
port $15 billion of agricultural and agri-food
products by 2020.
WORLD-CLASS
INFRASTRUCTURE
The industry is supported by world-class
infrastructure and resources, and a highly
integrated research community, with much
of the bioscience research community
clustered around Innovation PlaceTechnol-
ogy Park and the University of Saskatche-
wan in Saskatoon. The cluster is anchored
by prominent research institutions such as
the Canadian Light Source synchrotron,
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Na-
tional Research Council, the Vaccine and
Infectious Diseases Organization - Interna-
tional Vaccine Centre, and many more.
Saskatoon has a major concentration of
agricultural research organizations. Many
of them are public, including the Univer-
sity of Saskatchewan and government re-
search laboratories. This critical mass has
more than 1,000 researchers that are in-
volved in aspects of the agricultural and
food research areas working ostensibly
side-by-side.
Both the provincial and federal government
recognize the importance of supporting
the province’s primary industry. Strategic
investments of $388 million for agricultural
research since 2013 has cemented the re-
gion’s reputation as a research centre.
Like a Silicon Valley for agriculture and
biotechnology, close proximity to such a
vibrant research and development com-
munity is a major incentive for business.
The Province assists incoming companies
to explore opportunities and locate in the
best geographic site, and works with them
in respect to major issues like infrastruc-
ture costs. Saskatchewan is also a com-
petitive place in terms of business taxes.
“I believe our jurisdiction is as competitive as any in attracting business, but our
central location in a large arable land mass, and direct access to thousands of
people with expertise is second-to-none.”
Wilf Keller, President and CEO of Ag-West Bio,
Saskatchewan’s bioscience industry association.
MARCH 2017
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